Guns Don't Kill People, I Do
by Stunned Monkey
Summary: Jori Author Fav # 1 When she took over the streets she stopped being Jade and became Raven Marx. She was as tough as they come and so was her partner in Ivy Benson. She didn't need anyone in her life until she met Tori Vega and then she couldn't think of anything else. That is until small time crook Beck Oliver tries to come between them. All bets are off. AU,
1. Chapter 1: My Kind of Town

**AN: I do not own or operate the characters from Victorious. I keep them alive. Someone else owns them and has already made a fortune from them. This story takes place in an alternate universe. It doesn't follow my other story arc. This story is full of violence and nasty language. If you don't want to read that kind of thing then I am sure there are other fine stories you could read. If you do like stories about strong women who don't take anything from anyone, but take what they want from everyone this story is for you.**

**Trust me there will be Jori, but we aren't there quite yet. Enjoy S.M.**

**Guns Don't Kill, I Do**

**Chapter 1: My Kind of Town**

"What the fuck is that sound?" I am slowly coming out of this haze. "Ah it is morning. What the fuck is that sound? And who is this chick in my bed? This is my bed right? Ya. My phone that is what that is."

Raven reaches and swipes at the nightstand missing her phone the first two times and then manages to get it on the third time. She lifts it to her face and sees that it is a familiar number. It was Oliver. She should never have given that slug his phone number.

"Mr. Oliver to what do I owe this honor?" Raven was really putting it on.

"I am expecting a big weekend and I am in need. Can you set me up for tonight?" Becket Oliver was a club owner and small time wise guy. She had made a connection with this guy about a year ago. She had set him up with some personal goods and then some he could hand out in his club and look like a big shot. He was happy with her and the candy. This was small but an inroad.

"How much and when?" Raven asked. She was known for being direct and straight forward.

"I need at least a quarter chicken and a 100g of Molly by five. Can you cook that for me?" Oliver asked.

"Ya I can do a quarter and a 100. I need the money on delivery. I will make some calls." Raven hung up without saying goodbye. It was her style.

The blonde girl lying next to her wrapped in the sheet was now starting to move. "You have to get out of here. It was fun, but we are done and I have things to do." Raven said rather unceremoniously.

Raven sat on the side of the bed while the blonde got up and grabbed her clothes and headed for the bathroom. It was her time to do the walk of shame. Raven lit a cigarette and took a deep drag and then coughed until she couldn't catch her breath. "These damn things are going to kill me." Then subconsciously she rubbed the scar on her shoulder that was mirrored on her back.

The blonde came out of the bathroom dressed and ready to leave. She thanked Raven and then said, "I don't even know your name."

"Good it is better that way." Raven didn't even turn to look at her. She was just entertainment. She really didn't mean anything to Raven. The girl stood and stared at Raven's body as she stood and stretched. Her body looked like a road map of scars. Who was this girl?

Raven waited until she heard the door slam and then she crushed out her cigarette and headed to the bathroom. She looked in the mirror and the woman that she saw staring at her was not someone she knew. Her long dark hair with the green extensions didn't seem as healthy as it was at one time. Her skin was showing the stress and age. She used to be beautiful, but now she didn't see it now. "Fuck I hate my life!"

She took a shower and found something to wear. She always work black. She found that it was intimidating to some and any edge she could get was worth it. It is a good thing that Raven always ran a little cooler than everyone else, because in this city feels like it was built on the sun. She didn't spend a lot of time outdoors anyway.

She then started to accessorise. She started with her rings. She wore large silver rings on he hands. She picked them especially for their sharp edges. Many times they have come to her aid cutting faces in a punch and inflicting pain. Raven strapped on a heavy leather belt that had a two hidden push daggers in the back. She then put her .22 auto in her calf high black leather boot. Finally she tucked her Glock 9mm in holster in the small of her back. Now she felt comfortable.

Raven checked her phone. There was nothing new. She call her partner Ivy. "Ivy, ya I got a call from Oliver he wants a quarter chicken and 100g of Molly by five. I will be at your place in an hour. Be ready this time." Then she hung up as she always did without saying goodbye.

She lit another smoke and sat in a soft chair in her living room. As she reached for the ashtray her shoulder sent a shock of pain through her system. Even though she tried to forget her body seemed to want her to remember.

She wasn't Raven. She wasn't even sure who she was these days. When she was born her mother named her Jade for the color of her eyes. Jade West! Who was she? She was an actor growing up and everyone thought that she would be destine for the stage, but then her mother was killed in a robbery gone wrong.

Her mother was just stopping to get some gas on the way home from work when some punk came in and started waving a gun around. He shot her in the head to make his point to the kid behind the counter. She never had a chance. She was dead before she hit the floor.

Jade's dad was a detective with the L.A.P.D and ended his career in the bottom of a bottle. He just could never deal with the fact that he became a cop to keep the people of this city safe and he couldn't even keep his family safe. Officially he was put on long term illness leave, but everyone in the department knew he had become a drunk. About a year off the job he got in his car and drove up in the hills overlooking the city that he loved so much and put his gun in his mouth and pulled the trigger.

It was sometime during that period that Jade decided that she was going to become a cop. She wanted to avenge her mother in some way and bring pride back to the name West in the department. She was so young and so naïve in those days.

She did her time on the streets, but then one day she got a message to report to the shift sergeant before she went out on patrol. Jade started to put together a story about how the last guy she arrested tried to hit her partner and that is why he needed stitches. She hoped that they would buy the story without asking too many questions. She was told that if she roughed up a perp again she would be writing parking tickets for the rest of her career.

When she walked into the shift sergeant's office she was thrown by the two suits that were hovering around. Right away she went on the defensive. "Sarg. that shit bag was going to hit Thomas. I just got to him before he could…."

"Officer West!" The older suit broke in. "We are not from IAG. I could care less whether you split that, as you so eloquently put it, 'shit bags' head open or not. I am Special Agent Griggs with the DEA and this is Special Agent Morrison. We have a proposal for you."

"Okay." Jade calmed down once she knew she was off the hook for slamming that punk into the side of her cruiser before cuffing him.

"You were once a promising actor. You have a degree in law enforcement from UCLA. You then were the top of your class in the LAPD academy. You constantly score the highest on the range each year when you requalify. You sometimes have a little bit of a problem with anger. You have been formerly reprimanded twice for not waiting for back up." Morrison read from her file.

"Are the feds going to write a book about me?" Jade asked with some venom in her words.

"Ah yes and the Jade West sarcasm. At the rate you are going West you will be working security at a mall within a year. Your time here is limited." Morrison continued

"You called me in to tell me this?" Jade was now putting up walls.

"Shut up and listen West!" Sergeant Nixon yelled.

Jade shut her mouth and glared at the two Special Agents. "We are here to offer you a second chance in law enforcement. We might have a place for you in the DEA if you are interested." Griggs cut straight to the point.

"You will have to go through our basic training program and proficiency testing and if all goes well we will put you in the field in about five months." Morrison stated.

"Why me? Isn't there a line a mile long applying each year to get into your party? What makes a three strike LAPD street cop hit your radar?" Jade was sceptical.

"Well it is a favour. See I went through training with your father. He was a good man, just put in a horrible situation. I stopped in about a year ago to visit and Lt. Jackson was telling me that G.O. had a daughter who was on the force and that she was self-destructing. I felt like I owed your old man something." Griggs told her.

They called Jade's dad G.O. from the time that he was in the academy. Someone once asked him his last name and he told them it was West and they asked "like go west young man?" and G.O. stuck. Most guys I am sure were surprised at his funeral to find out that his real name was Martin.

"Jade we have a project starting up and we are looking for agents with specific skills. You happen to have some of those skill. I will be honest with you though. You have to get your act together. If you go Rambo with us you will be out so fast you won't know what hit you. I would work on the attitude first. You will only get one strike at in our training. Like you said there are a million other, maybe more qualified candidates in line waiting for your spot." Morrison was right to the point.

"It is your acting skills we are most interested in. We are looking at making you an undercover agent. I can't tell you too much right now, but it would be very deep and long term cover. Since both your parents are dead you could do deep cover easier than most. Let's face it no one will miss you in the L.A.P.D so you can just disappear." Griggs took over.

That is how Jade West died and Raven Marx came to be. So long ago.

Raven looked at her phone and saw that it was time for her to go get Ivy. It wouldn't matter Ivy was never ready on time and she always had something else she needed Raven to do before they got down to work.

She went down to the lower floor where her car was. Well truthfully it wasn't her car. It was Raven's car. It had been a drug dealer's car from Florida but now she drove it as a part of her cover. There is no way she could ever afford to drive a 2012 black mustang on her salary. She loved the purple Le Mann's stripes even if no one else did.

She didn't even own the condo she lived in. The government seized it as well. Sure it wasn't the most expensive place in the Platinum Building, but it was more than she would ever be able to afford on her own. She had to live the lifestyle to sell the part she was playing. Even Ivy didn't own the house she was in.

As she pulled out on East Flamingo and shot over to the Freeway. Raven loved the Freeway. She loved to put her foot to the floor. Everyone drove fast on I-15 it was one of the high points of where she lived. Raven felt that you shouldn't own a car like her mustang and drive it like a little old lady.

She did slow down when she pulled onto Ivy's street. She lived in a house in a residential area to the northwest. Raven pulled into the driveway and honked the horn like she always did. She turned up the stereo and pounded out the song.

Ivy came running down the drive yelling at Raven to turn down the radio. "Rav my neighbors are going to shoot me if you keep doing that. Please for me turn it down." Ivy was the one person that could make Raven do what she wanted. The music suddenly got a lot quieter.

"Before we go meat Rodney, can we go by Walter's my new toy is in?" Ivy begged. Ivy was cute. She had long red hair and she always wore black and green. She said she loved the character Poison Ivy from the Batman comics as a kid. So she fashioned herself after Ivy. She was just as seductive and just as deadly.

Of course her real name wasn't Ivy she was a part of the project too. She was with the ATF. They were teamed up about two years ago. They worked hard to get a name in this town. Some would say that they had this town wired. Raven was the one to call if you needed chemicals and if it was guns you wanted you called Ivy.

It is strange. Here Ivy was the biggest arms dealer in the city and she was buying her gun legally through a shop. That was the way Ivy was. You could never guess what she was going to do next.

They walked into Wally's Guns and Stuff and stood at the counter. A young man came up and asked if he could help them. Raven never took off her sunglasses she just stared at him. He became unnerved. Then Ivy spoke up. I am here for Walter!" The kid backed up and almost needed new pants.

He started to stutter and stammer, "I… I will… go get him." He turned and ran into a display rack and had to catch it before it was knocked over. With that he quickly went to the back.

The girls just laughed. They loved doing that to people. "Ivy and Raven. Why do you do that to my employees? He thought you were going to kill me." Walter laughed. Walter was an older man with a large waistline and big mustache. He came around the counter hugged Ivy. She was a hugger, Raven was not and Walter respected that. To Raven he just nodded.

Ivy and he entered into some small talk and Raven moved so she could see the door. You could never be too careful in her business.

"My new toy is in?" Ivy smiled at Walter.

"Yes my darling it is. I have it right here under the counter. I hope you like it." Walter was gushing that was how he set you up to make you spend your money.

"Yeah Yeah" Ivy said clapping her hands together. It was funny to Raven to watch her act like this, seen as she could look you in the eye and watch as your life slipped away without blinking.

Walter brought out a box and placed it on the counter. Ivy opened the box and pulled out a 1911 .45 auto and held it to her chest like you would a child. It was painted green with zombies all over it. Yes this was now the gun that Ivy would be waving in people's faces. What a statement piece.

"Pay him we have to go Ivy." Raven said without expression.

Ivy paid him in cash and grabbed up her new 'toy'. The girls left the shop and got in Raven's car. She chirped the tires as they pulled out of the parking lot at Walter's shop.

"Rav do you have to drive so crazy. I am trying to load this mag." Ivy scolded her.

Raven didn't answer she just cranked the wheel hard to the right and turned left at the light. It pitched Ivy like a ragdoll. Then Raven laughed right out loud. Soon Ivy was picking up rounds off the floor mats.

Back on the freeway Raven turned up the music and both girls were singing with the radio. They loved these times when they could be more themselves and not have to play the parts they were assigned. It was during one of these trips that Ivy out of nowhere shared her story from before.

Much like Jade she had been an actor and singer. She couldn't find work and applied to the Boston Police Academy. She was top of her class and was a stone cold negotiator. She had trained with SWAT. She quickly became their go to person for gun repairs. She found guns fascinating. Most of her off time was either spent at the range or learning about their parts.

Then one day two guys in suits showed up and pulled her out of the squad room. That was the day she stopped being Officer Catherine Valentine and became Ivy Benson.

Ivy Benson was an arms dealer. She was one of the biggest in the state. The biggest arms dealer at the time was found floating face down in his swimming pool. The feds caught the guy who gave him his swimming lesson, some small timer who thought he got ripped off over some AK47s. The feds needed a back ground story so they sent the punk to Guantanamo to make him disappear and gave the credit to Ivy. She was an instant superstar in the criminal world.

The black mustang pulled into the storage facility yard. They pulled up to their unit and went inside. They had a large storage unit with a garage door and a walk in door. This is where they stored and cleared all evidence. They opened the locked cabinets and took out the quarter of a kilo of cocaine and a 100g bag of MDMA.

Ivy cleared her old auto and replaced it in her holster with her new zombie auto. She couldn't stop looking at it. Finally she put it away.

Meanwhile Raven was typing in the particulars of the deal into the notebook computer on the work table that was there with a small lamp. This was where all the evidence was catalogued. All the drugs and gun out and the money that was coming in. Names, places and times were all details that later would help to bring down major arms of organized crime in the state and across the U.S.

Sometime after the girl left the storage unit other agents from ATF and DEA and representatives from the State and U.S. Attorney General's Office would come in and download the reports and log in and out the products. They were building a rock solid case that will change crime in the United States for a long time.

Oliver's in the daytime was like any other bar. It was dark, lonely and sad. Raven pounded on the front door as Ivy watched the street. One of them were always on point while the other did their job. Unlike James Bond they were not above the law and licensed to kill, however if they found that they were in danger or the mission was in danger they were free to do what they felt was necessary. That meant that eight months ago Raven had to do a lot of tap dancing to make the brass understand why Ivy carved an 'I' in a Mexican gang member's chest while he was tied to the joists in basement.

The door opened up and a bouncer about the size of a small car let them in. They could see Beck Oliver at the bar going over the previous night's receipts making sure that none of the wait staff were skimming.

He was a Canadian transplant who bought a run-down club, rebranded it and in a short time turned it into one of the places to be seen in Las Vegas. Far too trendy a place for Raven or Ivy to spend any time. Their heavy boots announced their presence as they crossed the tiled floor. This time it was Ivy's turn to move into the background and keep watch.

Raven opened the flap on her bag that was over her shoulder. She reached in slowly so as not to spook anyone and drew out two brown paper bags and put them on the bar. Oliver reached for the bags and pulled them below the bar. He checked the contents and asked, "This is grade A Blackbird?"

She hated every fiber of this man, "As always. Now I will take 50 Bens."

"Fifty pages can't we deal on this? Fifty seems a little steep. I am a good customer. How about thirty pages." Beck was fishing.

Raven laid her 9 on the bar between them. She often found that a gun often made negotiating so much easier. It didn't take long for Oliver to see things her way and an envelope was slid across the bar. "I was willing to pay 7000." He smiled his greasy smile.

Raven put the envelope in her bag next to the Kel Tec P38 that she took off a street punk who tried to rob her one night. "You know Oliver one day I will put a bullet through you brain or I might let Ivy carve her name in your chest." Raven had a crooked smile that let him know she was not joking.

As the girls left the bar Ivy reached into her pocket and took out a slot token, turned and threw it. The beer mug in Beck Oliver's hand exploded and covered him and his money with beer and glass. Then the door slammed shut behind them and they were gone.

**AN: I hope that you are enjoying this story. There is going to be a lot of violence and strong language in this story so if that isn't your thing, then why did you read this far. ****J****Please leave a review if you liked it so far and I guess even if you don't like it. I am sorry if you are a Beck fan. No really feel sorry for you. I have never liked him he was always a pointless character in the series so I like to make him a villain at least that way he has something worthwhile to say. Thanks again. SM.**


	2. Chapter 2: A Singer in a Smokey Room

**AN: I do not own or operate the characters from Victorious. I keep them alive. Someone else owns them and has already made a fortune from them.**

Chapter 2: A Singer in a Smokey Room

The girls packaged the money and put it in the drop box in the storage unit. This money would go to be evidence and once the trial was finished the federal government would use it to fund more investigations like this one.

There was one major issue with being undercover. You not only give up who you are, you can never have any contact with your old life because the dangers are too great. Your life is always a scam. Everyone knows your alias only and never gets to know the real you, therefore you can't even have a meaningful relationship. This life could get lonely.

Ivy wanted to be dropped off at her house so that she could get her car and go to a gun range to have some alone time with her new gun. Sometimes Raven worried that Ivy was a little too into her role.

Raven went to grab a bite at a small place she knew of and then she drove out to the edge of the city. It used to be a lot closer that it is now. The city was growing out of control. There was something about the desert that matched Raven's mood. That made it therapeutic for her. She felt understood there and like no one cared who she was out there.

She loved to watch the sunset in the desert. She used to go to the ocean to watch, but there is something beautiful about what the light does to the desert as it goes from yellow through purple to black. Some people are afraid of the desert after dark. They are afraid of what is out there that could do harm to them, so they stay in the light of the city. If they only knew they are safer in the desert.

Raven decided after a time to head to The Empire Club. The Empire Club was a dive, but a comfortable dive. There are those bars that at one time were the place to be and then over time they got run down and the crowd became more local and colorful. The Empire was not one of those places. It looked like it was a dive from the day that it opened. It was just the kind of place that Raven liked. There were no tourists and no theme decorating. Just cheap drinks and lots of shadows.

As Raven walked in all eyes turned for a second and then went back to what they were doing. Some were hiding, some were scared but most just wanted the world to leave them alone.

Raven passed an old man propped up on the end of the bar. When she passed him she slapped him on the shoulder and said, "Hey Freddie how are things?"

"Birdie, Birdie it is my birthday. Would you buy me a drink for my birthday?" Raven made her way further down the bar to where a bartender stood wiping down some glasses.

"Hey Josh." Raven greeted him.

Josh was a thin blonde guy in his thirties. He had been the night bartender at the Empire for the last six years. He didn't even ask Raven what she wanted, it was his job to know what the regulars drank. He poured a shot of bourbon and drew a mug of draft and put them in front of Raven.

"Josh send a mug to Freddie. After all it is his birthday." Raven slammed the bourbon down.

"It is always his birthday Raven." Josh laughed and poured the draft. "One day we will find him dead in the alley. You are not helping him."

"Maybe I am Josh." Raven said without looking at him. "How are things? How is Wendy?"

"Well she found a phone number in my pocket and I am on the couch again. I tried to tell her that it was a guy selling a car, but she dialed the number. Don't ever get married Raven. Chicks are nuts. They are wonderful until you put that ring on their finger and then they let out their inner demon." Josh said shaking his head.

"Thanks for the advice." She grabbed her beer and headed to 'her table' at the far end of the room. Raven always sat with her back to the wall. It was a lesson that she learned as a kid on a holiday her family went on when she was young. They had visited Deadwood South Dakota and saw the chair that Wild Bill Hickok was supposedly sitting in when he was shot in the back while playing poker.

The shooter came in the door behind him and shot him from behind. Bill never had a chance. Standing as a kid staring up at the glass case on the wall over the door of that saloon she was deeply affected. She decided then and there she would never be caught in the same situation.

Raven took a sip from her beer and looked around the room. The regulars were all in their places. Sometimes the predictability of the Empire was a comfort but sometimes she would like a diversion. She had just thought about the diversion when the girl moved past her table and headed for the small stage.

It wasn't really a stage, it was a platform about eight inches off the floor level. A young black man with braids all over his head sat down to the piano and she picked up the microphone. Raven glanced in her direction first noticing the long sequin dress. She followed it up her legs as it clung to her curves. It was low cut, but she really didn't have enough upstairs to do the dress justice, but her chest was still holding Raven's attention.

After taking in her body, Raven followed her neck to her beautiful lips and incredible cheekbones, but it was the deep brown eyes that froze her. They were like the eyes of a Disney character. They seemed larger and brighter than normal people's eyes. The little light there was in the Empire all seemed to be emanating from her. Crowning this young Aphrodite was a very long mane of dark chocolate silk that flow around her like water.

Raven had to catch herself. A couple of times this girl caught her eye and noticed that Raven was staring at her. Staring with the look of a hungry animal wanting to rush her and savagely take her right there on the stage.

The girl introduced herself as Victoria Vega and the piano man played the intro to a Billie Holiday set. About the time she was crooning out 'I Gotta a Right to Sing the Blues" Josh came over with Raven's second beer.

"Who's the girl?" Raven never took her eyes off her.

"That is Victoria. She is Alonzo's niece isn't her voice beautiful?" Josh said with a smile.

"That ain't all my friend. She is an angel." Raven said in a voice Josh had never heard before.

"Be careful Birdie! She is farm fresh. She grew up in Idaho. She is here to go to school. I don't even think she has dated a guy let alone someone like you. You hit and quit her and Alonzo would never let you come back here. For me Raven let this lamb go. Please?" Josh was being sincere he really didn't like the way Raven was acting.

"Who little ol' me? I wouldn't lead a young girl from the country astray. I tell you what Josh. I will play it cool, but I would not say no to her." Raven took a drink of her beer. "Did Wendy send cookies?"

"Ya I will bring them with your next round." Josh went back to the bar.

Josh's wife Wendy made fantastic chocolate chip cookies and strange as it sounds she sells them at the bar. Raven had a weakness for them and was one of her best customers. She would pick up a small bag and take them to Ivy she wouldn't come to the Empire but she loved Wendy's cookies.

Alonzo owned the place he came from Mexico as a farm worker in the 1970s. He did every job he could find and then found selling a certain herb made him a lot more money. One day he just quit and bought The Empire Club. He doesn't allow any product in his place, but he doesn't run off those that make their living with chemicals. That is why Raven liked this place. She was already holding so many secrets at least she didn't have to hide anything at the Empire.

Before long Victoria took a break and went to the bar to get a glass of water. Raven never took her eyes off of her. She could see the girl lean in and whisper something to Josh. He then looked over her head toward Raven and whispered something to her as he shook his head. Raven could only assume that he was warning her to stay clear.

Raven smiled to herself knowing that it wasn't about her it was more about protecting this impressionable young girl. She couldn't blame him, she was young and beautiful and his boss' niece. Raven had to admit she as Jade wouldn't want this young girl befriending a drug dealer either. This was the fate she had to deal with. The people that made up her everyday were people she didn't want to be around.

Ivy could be more philosophical about what she did. She always said it was for the greater good. She said that if she wasn't supplying guns then someone else would and that person might not have the standards that she has. Ivy drew the line at selling guns to anyone who could not guarantee that they wouldn't end up in the hands of children. She also said the more gangbangers that killed each other was saving the tax payer money. Court and prison is expensive. If they kept shooting each other sooner or later there would only be one left and then we could charge him with murder, she always joked.

Victoria got up and sang another set. Raven managed to keep from staring at the girl, but it was not easy. Raven stared into her beer questioning as always who she had become and whether or not she would ever be able to go back to being Jade West someday.

She was snapped out of it when she got a text from Ivy. "Busy day 2moro puppy wants 9s, 2 cuts, 4 macs and 250 caps, going to war?"

Raven sent back, "I will keep my ears open. At the Emp"

"Where else? Yuri asked for a Kennedy! I gotta talk to god on that one. Bring cookies." Ivy said.

To most anyone else this code would make no sense, but to Raven it was all too clear. They have to meet with Little Perro a key figure in the Vagos Motorcycle Club. He is looking to get some 9mm semi-automatic handguns, 2 sawed off shotguns, 4 Mac 10 semi-autos and 250 rounds of ammunition. And then a new player from the Russian mafia wants to get his hands on a .50 cal sniper rifle. It is called a Kennedy due to the 50 cent piece and the fact that a sniper got Kennedy. This one is big it has the ability to kill over a kilometre away. They would have to contact their government handler for this one.

Raven found herself wondering why the bikers wanted all the weapons. Who were they afraid of? Who were they going to war with? Maybe they were just flexing their muscles. She would see what she could get out of Little Perro tomorrow.

Suddenly the few people that were in the place were clapping and it snapped Raven back to reality. Then she noticed the girl standing across from her with a glass of water in her hand. "May I join you?"

"Ah… ya …. Ah sure, please." Raven stammered, looking around to see everyone watching them.

"I noticed you when I got up the first time. You kind of stand out in this place. I mean you are a lot younger and more sober than the rest of the crowd. Hi I am Victoria Vega." She held her hand out for Raven to shake.

"Ah… Raven West…. Ah … Marx…. Raven Marx." She said shaking her hand. She was trying to get things under control. She had never screwed up like this before.

"I am Alonzo's niece. Uncle Alonzo was nice enough to let me sing here." Victoria said in a voice that sounded like she was still singing.

"So I hear you are in school." Raven really had no idea what to say to this vision.

"Josh must have told you. Ya I am in my final year at UNLV. I am getting a music teaching degree. Uncle Alonzo treats me like I am a little kid. Some days I just want to yell I am twenty-one years old. So why has everyone told me to stay away from you?" Raven didn't really hear everything this girl was saying. She kind of drifted in and out as she stared at her lips moving.

Raven smiled and raised her empty mug up so Josh could see it. "Well where do I start? They are just worried about you coming from Iowa and meeting the wrong kind of people."

"Idaho!" Victoria corrected.

"What?" Raven asked.

"You said Iowa. I am from Idaho. What kind of people are you then?" Victoria enquired.

"Oh ya Idaho. Ah well first of all I am a lesbian?" Raven check for a reaction from Victoria and didn't seem to get one. "I kind of run with a dangerous crowd."

Victoria looked around and then said, "Like who?"

"Oh they don't come in here. This is my get away. Some would say I come from the wrong side of the tracks." Raven tried to warn her off.

With that Josh brought over a full beer and a bag of chocolate chip cookies. "Victoria do you want anything?" Raven asked.

"No I am fine with my water. I still have to get up and do another set. I am going to sing a special song for Freddie. It is his birthday." She smiled.

"Ya every night is Freddie's birthday." Josh said. "Or anniversary, the day he got out of jail, injured in the war, the day his wife died and my favourite the anniversary of his divorce. Anything for a free drink." Josh made his way back to the bar.

"I am going to sing him a song anyway." Could this girl be real? "What is with the cookies?"

"Josh's wife Wendy makes them. They are the best in town." I get them for my partner.

"Oh … ah … Ok then I should go." Victoria was clearly uncomfortable.

"Oh no not like that. My business partner. Christ I couldn't date Ivy one of us would be dead by the end of the week. We are both away too Alpha." Raven was back peddling.

Victoria suddenly realized what she had done. She couldn't figure out why she reacted that way she was not gay and all she was doing was chatting with this intriguing woman. She had never encountered anyone like this before. She was such a mystery and the more that she talked to her the more she wanted to know, but this Raven was not giving out a lot of information. Everyone was telling her to stay away from Raven but that just made her want to hang out with her even more.

She was tired of her uncle and his friends all treating her like she was a little girl. She was an adult in every way in this state. If her uncle didn't live here she would be fine looking out for herself, but Victoria didn't want to hurt his feelings so she at least listened to him.

To try to smooth things over Victoria took one of Ivy's cookies and bit into it. "You are right these are fantastic." She put her hand over Ravens and then stood up and went back to the stage. Raven watched her caboose as she walked away.

Victoria did as she promised and sang a song for Freddie. She was singing 'We'll Meet Again" as Raven finished her beer threw some money on the table and got up to leave. She gave a small wave to Victoria as she passed the stage and a nod to Josh. She again slapped Freddie on the shoulder and then she was out the door.

Raven climbed in her car and didn't start it right away. She just sat there thinking about this young girl that she just met. She has been with a lot of girls, why does this one have a hold on her imagination? Oh well tomorrow was going to be a long day and maybe she would see Victoria tomorrow night.

She started the car and headed back to the crazy city and her bed.

Raven flopped into bed and was asleep almost instantly. Her subconscious took her on a ride she never expected. She had a very detailed dream about this young Victoria. In her dream she was on the beach watching the sunset and someone was calling her name. Not her cover name but her real name. The voice was that of an angel. Jade reached out her arms to hug Victoria and then she was punched hard in the stomach and then the face. The last thing she remembered was Victoria crying and yelling "You lied to me Jade! You lied!" Raven woke with a start and was in a cold sweat.

Morning seemed to come early, too early. Raven couldn't seem to drag herself out of her bed. She was coming out of the shower when her phone rang. It was Ivy. She was waiting for Raven for a change. The mustang rounded the corner onto Wyatt Ave. and one of the neighbors who was outside stared with a grim face.

Ivy was waiting and quickly got in the car. The first thing she said was, "Cookies!" Raven handed her the bag of cookies and drove off.

"There are only eleven in this bag! You ate one of my cookies!" Ivy was actually angry.

"I did not eat one of your cookies. Victoria did." Raven said with a smirk.

"Oh great you let some bimbo you finger banged ate one of my cookies. Nice Rav very nice." Ivy said even angrier.

"No I did not finger bang Victoria. She is not like that. She is a goddess that I met last night at The Empire." Raven said.

"Liar. Do you know how I know you are lying?"

"Not really, but you are going to tell me anyway aren't you?"

"You would never find a goddess at The Empire."

"You are so wrong. She is Alonzo's niece. She is going to UNLV and she sings at the Empire. She is the most beautiful creature I have ever seen. She has spoiled me for all other women. She has long dark hair, eyes to fall into and the voice of an angel." Raven was not sounding like herself. She was normally much harder and colder than this. Ivy took note of a 'but' in her voice.

"So what is wrong with her?" Ivy asked.

"She is straight and she is far too good for me." Raven said giving more attention to her driving than she usually does.

"I worry about that too." Ivy said in a serious voice. "When we are done all this will I still feel dirty and have that feeling that everything I touch becomes dirty too?"

"I worry about how much of me will be left. Will I ever trust anyone completely again? I hate this." Raven confided. Every now and then the girls had these talks when they knew they were alone. There was no one else they could talk to about it. No one they worked with had ever been this deep before. No one had gone this long before. Sometimes they worried that there was never going to be an end to the mission.

This time when they arrived at the storage unit they were not alone. They unlocked the door and slipped in and locked it again behind them. The storage unit looked like any other with furniture and kids toys and boxes. Until you pulled the stained mattress it was attached to a hinged frame that swung open. Behind the mattress was a steel door with a rental scanner attached.

Ivy stepped forward and put her eye to the lens and a blue light traveled over her eye. The lock clicked and the door popped open. The two walked in and closed the door behind them. A man in a suit was sitting at the desk waiting for them arrive. "Ladies, you are late."

"My fault sir." Raven said. "I slept in. We don't usually have a clock that we punch in this job."

"Well Agent West I don't have that luxury. I am on a schedule. So why am I here?"

"I am the one who rang the bell sir." Agent Valentine said. "I got a call from a Russian named Burov. He is looking for a Barrett 50."

"His name is Vasilly Burov. He has been in the country for five years. He is connected to a militant faction in Russia. He has been sent here to do a job. He has been on our radar since his feet hit the ground. We think that he is here to get the gun and then drive it to Phoenix to take out high ranking Ukrainian diplomat." Supervising Agent Dale told them.

"So what is our play? He is waiting for a call later today. He was very specific about it having no numbers on it and having a night scope. He is offering $20 000." Cat told him.

"We are in the process of outfitting one for you. We will print a story today about a gun store robbery. You got away with AKs, handguns, shotguns and the Barrett plus ammo. You can set up the meet for the end of the week. We will build in a tracker into one of the shells. You will make the deal and we will let you get out of the area. We will have a black and white pull him over and find the gun. That way there is no connection to you." Dale stated.

"Thanks sir, Now I have to pick up a list for some Mexican bikers." Cat said with a smile.

"What do they want the weapons for?" Dale asked.

"We haven't determined that yet sir." Jade responded.

"Keep us informed. Anything else?" Dale asked.

"Just one more thing. We were wondering if we could have a larger living allowance. It hasn't gone up during the mission so far. Costs are up and we are starting to look shabby. It is hard to be the boss if you don't look like the boss." Jade asked without a flinch. Cat on the other hand suddenly made herself busy.

"I understand and I will take it up with Washington. I will get back to you on it and Valentine I will let you know when the 50 is ready." With that Dale left the storage unit.

"You had to ask?" Cat said slugging Jade in the arm.

"You are the one that is always saying that you wish you had more money for clothes." Jade said rubbing her arm. "Get your crap and let's go meet some Mexicans."

**AN: Sorry that this is taking so long to write, but I want it all to be perfect. Please let me know your thoughts. I am sorry if you are getting confused by the names. I have chosen to use Raven and Ivy all the time unless it is a flashback or they are dealing with other Agents who are in on the mission. Don't worry. Victoria will become Tori soon. I just don't want to rush the relationship. That is an area a lot of writers fall down on in my opinion. They are in a hurry to "get to the good stuff" and forget that most relationships take time. They are not even friends yet. Stay with me I have some big ideas for this story. S.M.**


	3. Chapter 3: Love and Bullets

**AN: I do not own or operate the characters from Victorious. I keep them alive. Someone else owns them and has already made a fortune from them. This story takes place in an alternate universe. It doesn't follow my other story arc. This story is full of ****violence and nasty language****. If you don't want to read that kind of thing then I am sure there are other fine stories you could read. If you do like stories about strong women who don't take anything from anyone, but take what they want from everyone this story is for you.**

Chapter 3: Love and Bullets

It was time to meet with Little Perro and the Vegos. This was Ivy's deal, but Raven wanted to know what Little Perro was up to and why he needed more guns. The meeting was to be in a parking lot of a supermarket that had gone out of business about three months ago.

It was going to be another blazing hot day in the valley. Raven was grateful for the air conditioning and the blacked out windows. This would be a perfect day to go to the lake or the mountains to find someplace cool, but here they were in a black car on weathered cement waiting for this deal to go down.

Raven pulled her car into the middle of the lot and they sat waiting for the Vegos to arrive. The sound of motorcycles announced their arrival. They formed a circle around the mustang and got off their bikes. Little Perro was at the nine o'clock position directly across from the driver side of the girl's car.

Ivy got out of the car slowly. Raven stayed in the car watching the bikers for any sign of trouble. Ivy went to the rear of the car and Raven released the lock. Little Perro left his bike and came over to the trunk of the car. Inside was a false bottom that lifted out and there were the guns that he was interested in having.

He picked a few up and checked them over and then had three of this guys come and get them from the car. It was now time to hand over the money. This is when things had a habit of going bad. Raven could see that he and Ivy were now haggling over the price. "What are you doing Perro we had a deal?" Raven said to herself.

Things were starting to get tense and it was time for Raven to step in because the bikers were getting a little froggy and she could see Ivy tensing up and soon someone would be dead.

Raven opened the driver's door and stepped out of the car. She stood up and walked directly to Little Perro. She could see that he was about to go for his gun. Before he knew it there was a 9mm against his forehead. "Too slow Dog! Now why are you suddenly becoming a cheap bastard? Hands off the iron boys or I vent his skull."

The moment was tense. Ivy had her green .45 out and slowly turning in a circle trying to cover them all. Little Perro slowly lifted his hand from his gun and shouted at his brothers to back off. Then a big smile lit up Raven's face and she dropped her gun to her side and hugged Little Perro and he laughed.

The mood went from very tense to a reunion in a few seconds. Ivy was confused and slowly put her gun back in its holster. She was still watching the bikers and trying to read Raven's face and Perro's face. "Rav?"

"We don't have a problem here Ivy. Little Perro and I go back to before you and I were working together here in Vegas. He was one of my first customers. We were making a small deal outside a bar and some white trash punk thought he would jack the deal. He had Little Perro cold, but he didn't count on the girl shoving a blade through the side of his head." Raven and Perro laughed that the memory.

"Put them away boys these ladies are cool." Little Perro commanded.

"Why do you need all the hardware? What is going down?" Raven asked.

"We need them for protection. Word on the street is that the Angels are stocking up and are talking to the Stray Cats. Tell me chica are you selling to the Angels too?" Perro looked serious again.

"No Perro. We have no deals with the Angels. It has to be someone from Cal that is filling them. Now that we are here with you we won't touch them. You have my word." With that Raven stuck out her hand and Little Perro shook it.

"This means a lot to me Raven. We are friends." Perro said looking in her eyes.

Raven couldn't help but have a moment of guilt thinking about when it all goes down how he will be locked up, but then she remembers that he is a killer and would have no problem putting a bullet in her or Ivy if he knew. "I have a gift for you."

Raven went to the car and climbed into the driver seat. She reappeared with something in her hand. She walked back to the leader and looked around. He opened his vest and held it open for her. She reached in and tucked the small bag of crack in his inside pocket.

Perro smiled and did up his vest. Then he got on his bike and nodded at the girls and the group roared to life like some huge beast awaking. Raven and Ivy stood there and watched as the bikers filed out of sight around the corner. Then they got back in their car and left the parking lot.

They had driven about three blocks when an ugly brown car pulled up behind them. "Ditch your guns we have company." Raven said looking in the rear view mirror.

Ivy opened the glove box and then pulled another panel and opened a hidden compartment. She stashed their hide out guns and the one in Jade's satchel. Those were not registered and could bring them unwanted attention. She then closed up the compartment and shut the glove box.

About a half a block later red and blue lights came on in the grill of the car behind them. Raven pulled over and put the Mustang in park. The detectives got out and approached the girl's car with their guns drawn. Raven and Ivy put their hands out the windows and opened their doors. The detectives pulled them out of the car and put them up against the car.

The cops found their guns in their belts and put them on the roof. "Hey watch the paint there Officer Krupke! Those are registered and we have conceiled weapon permits for them." Raven spit at the cop.

"Hey smart mouth it is McMurray and we will be the judge if these weapons are clear." Ivy an Irish cop who would have guessed.

The one cop went to check the numbers and permits on the guns while McMurray checked the rest of the car. "You are a real smart ass aren't you?"

"Well my mother always said better to be a smart ass than a dumb ass!" Raven said staring straight ahead. For that she took a fist to the kidney. She would remember that.

The other cop came back with their guns, permits and id. "They are clear and clean just a parking ticket." The other detective told McMurray.

"You wouldn't know anything about the boost at Uptown Guns in Henderson last night do you?" McMurray pushed.

"No sir I can honestly say I have never been to Uptown Guns in Henderson and I am way too busy at night to be out doing horrible things." Raven said truthfully.

"What are you doing that keeps you so busy at night. I have a full time job with the security department at the Empire Club." Raven smirked at her partner.

"What about you sweet cheeks?" McMurray said to Ivy.

"Oh you mean me? I thought you were talking to your partner." Ivy fist bumped Raven across the roof of the car. "I was at the Flamingo at black jack table five. You can check with Larry Robinson the pit boss or Less Clark my favorite dealer. I lost 2500 and left a 200 tip." Ivy said with a grin.

"Very classy if I might say." Raven said to her.

"No you may shut your pie hole!" McMurray said. "I know you are involved in illegal traffic and I will catch you that is a promise."

"No you won't and that is a promise." Raven said putting her gun back and getting in her car.

They pulled back out and headed over to Raven's apartment. They ordered some Indian food and made a plan for the next day. It was time for Ivy to make her call to the Russian. She made arrangements to meet him in the warehouse district. The Feds had a site set up there where they could deploy cameras and snipers in case a big deal like this one went bad. The girls would not be going into this one alone.

"Come to The Empire with me tonight. I want you to meet this girl." Raven said while filling her mouth with butter chicken.

"I hate that dump. It is depressing. Just old drunks and people who have no hope and are at the end of their rope." Ivy said before she thought about what she said.

"Thanks, a lot. Nice shot. I am past that. We made a deal to put that in the past. Don't come then! I just thought you might want to meet this girl I am talking about." Raven got up and threw her paper plate in the garbage and washed her hands.

"I didn't mean it that way Rav. I wasn't referring to that. I was just saying that the guys there are rummies and losers. I will go, I will go to the damn Empire with you." Ivy felt bad she promised that she would never bring up that night again. It was always the elephant in the room.

Raven lit a smoke and went out on her balcony. The city was pretty when the sun was setting. She liked it more than with the neon glowing. The glitz was to blind the tourists while they hand the casinos their paychecks. The yellows, golds and oranges bouncing off ugly cement and glass made it look like El Dorado. For a few minutes each day it made you forget that this city was built on other people's money.

Ivy had poured herself a drink and joined Raven on the balcony. Ivy sat down in the lounge chair and put on her sunglasses. Raven leaned on the railing and blew out the smoke from her cigarette. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No I do not want to talk about it! I never want to talk about it!" Raven said.

"No YOU have to talk about it! WE have to talk about it! You will never be done with this if you just stuff it away. You want to end up like your old man? Is that it? Sure they give you a flag, but you never get to see it fly!" Ivy's voice got louder.

"Don't bring my father up. This is totally different." Raven said.

"I get it. I am the only one who gets it. All the friggin' shrinks in the world could never understand the price are paying. No one has done what we are doing. Don't you think I have had days where it gets to me too? I am putting guns out onto the streets so they can be used to rob mom and pop stores and kill kids."

Raven turned to face her. "Have you ever seen what you have done? When you hear about a shooting do you know that it is a gun you put in their hands? No, No you don't. I saw that kid. I saw what the drugs I sold him did. I saw his mother and sister crying. I might as well have shot the kid in the head. I knew the drugs were for him not for sale. I have to live with that. I took an oath to serve and protect. I don't feel like I am serving or protecting anyone anymore. So no I don't want to talk about it."

"We are in this together. Have you forgotten the cab driver that was killed and the mother of two walking home from her job at the fast food place? Those were my guns! You don't think I haven't had days where I wanted to swallow my gun a time or two? I am telling you Jade West I will never judge you. I want to help you." Ivy confided.

Raven started crying. Soon Ivy was crying too. The image of Raven drunk on her floor shaking with her 9mm in her mouth. It started out as an evening of drinking with Ivy. About a bottle of tequila later and a couple of pills she held back she started to lose it and was shouting that she was a killer. Ivy tackled her and took her gun out of her hands and threw it against the wall.

Ivy held Raven until the crying stopped. "I will make sure we get help when we are done. I will not leave you alone like you father was. You are not alone. I will come to the Empire with you tonight."

Raven got changed into a different black outfit and drove Ivy to her house so that she could change. Once she was ready they drove over to The Empire Club. As they walked in Freddie shouted "Hey Raven it is my birthday. Buy me a drink?"

"Ya Happy Birthday Freddie." Raven slaps his shoulder and moves down the bar greeting the other regulars as she goes. This was the only place Raven felt at home and strangely safe. She led Ivy to her table in the back. Josh brought a shot of bourbon and a beer and asked what Ivy wanted.

"I will have a beer and do you have any more of those chocolate cookies? I will take three." Ivy placed her order.

"Comin' up!" Josh said and headed back to the bar.

"Is Victoria going to sing tonight?" Raven asked.

"Ya," Josh looked at his watch. "She will be here in about a half an hour. She goes to the library until 10:30 each night and then she comes here to work."

Ivy and Raven spent the time drinking. Ivy ate her cookies and listened to the piano player. Time wandered by as it does at the Empire Club. Raven was like a high school girl waiting for a boy she is hoping will show up at the dance. Ivy had never seen her like this. She was almost happy.

A little after ten thirty in swept Victoria. Tonight she was wearing a tight fitting black short dress. She stopped at Raven's table before she went to the stage. "Hi Raven. How are you tonight?"

"I am fine. It was a little hot today, but it is good now." Raven smiled at the girl. "This is my partner, my business partner, Ivy Benson. Ivy this is Victoria Vega. She sings here."

"Ya I kind of figured that one out. You look really familiar to me. Are you sure we have never met before? You just look so familiar." Ivy asked.

"No I am pretty sure we have never met before." Victoria quickly answered. "Although I was thinking the same thing about you. Have you been in a movie?"

"There is no way that you have ever met her, Ivy. But after you hear her sing you will never forget her." Raven stepped in.

"A movie, me? No I am no movie star. I just have a face that is kind of common." Ivy said.

Victoria got on stage and started singing. Ivy had to admit that this girl had an excellent voice and that it was being wasted in the Empire. At the break she came and joined them at their table and they chatted. The entire time Ivy was racking her brain trying to figure out where she had seen Victoria before.

Victoria was also trying to figure out where she had seen Ivy before. The conversation was only happening on the surface. These two were digging through their memories trying to solve what for them had become a mystery.

During the next set Victoria asked Raven if she liked the blues. She said that she loved the blues and they started discussing their favorite artists. Then Victoria asked something of Raven that she didn't expect. "Would you like to go to blues in the park on Sunday night?"

"I would like that. I would like that a lot Raven." Raven said looking into the eyes that were dark pools of eternity.

"Do you have a pen?" Victoria asked and after Ivy found one in her clutch purse. "This is my cell number call or text me and we will set up a time. Oh and please call me Tori only my Uncle Alonzo calls me Victoria." She opened Raven's hand and wrote the number on her palm. Tori put the pen on the table and using her two hands folded Raven's hand closed and held it a little longer than necessary. She was staring directly in Raven's eyes while she closed her hand.

Raven smiled at her and watched her walk back to the stage. She couldn't be sure but she thought there was an extra sway in Tori's hips as she walked. Raven held her fist to her lips and smiled. Ivy threw some cash on the table and grabbed Raven's wrist and dragged her to the door.

As they were driving Ivy said, "I know I have seen Tori somewhere before. I just can't think of where."

"I see how you would have seen her somewhere before, but I am going to see her on Sunday night." Raven was actually happy. Ivy couldn't really remember a time where Raven was happy.

**AN: Thanks for reading this story. As always please leave your comments. I want to make this clear to my readers. When I write about a group of people I am writing from research done for this story. The biker gang that I am talking about is a real gang in Las Vegas that has been at war with the Hell's Angels. If they are of a certain ethnic background in my story, that is because that is what they are in reality. I mean no disrespect with my writing. I just want it to be correct. Thank you again for reading my stories. Oh and Happy Birthday to me and The United States of America. S.M.**


	4. Chapter 4: Russian Roulette

**AN: I do not own or operate the characters from Victorious. I keep them alive. Someone else owns them and has already made a fortune from them. This story takes place in an alternate universe. It doesn't follow my other story arc. This story is full of ****violence and nasty language****. If you don't want to read that kind of thing then I am sure there are other fine stories you could read. If you do like stories about strong women who don't take anything from anyone, but take what they want from everyone this story is for you.**

Chapter 4: Russian Roulette

All the way home Ivy kept saying, "I know I have seen your girl before. I just can't think of where I have seen her."

"Unless you have been to the middle of know where Idaho you have never seen her." Raven shook her head. "Do I do this when you meet a guy?"

"Yes! Have you forgotten Ramone? You ran a background on him." Ivy said.

"Yes and good thing I did I found out he had a wife and kids and he had a warrant." Raven said very proud of herself.

"But you didn't have to send the cops to arrest him while we were on a date!" Ivy said.

"I had to make a point to you. You had to see that he was a jerk. I was saving my best friend." Raven claimed.

"Ah you called me your best friend. I am glad. I have seen what you can do to people you don't like." Ivy laughed.

The next day was a big day. This was the day that they were to make the meet with the Russian. Raven dragged herself out of bed and rubbed her shoulder. Why was it on the days she had to be at the top of her game the pain was the worst. It will always be there to remind her of that day.

It was back before Ivy was assigned to the mission. This was the reason Ivy was assigned. Raven had been in place for about two months and she was still building a reputation. She was a small timer.

She thought she knew how the game was played in those days, but she was so green. Now when she looks back to how she did things she cringes. It is amazing that she lived through those days. She must have had a guardian angel and it must have spent most of its day with its hands over its eyes.

Raven had met a guy in a bar that wanted her to hook him up with some weed. He wanted to meet at his motel room in North Las Vegas. She didn't know the site and did not do her homework.

Now she would never let the buyer pick the location. It is a good way to ripped off or killed. She always make sure that she has a backdoor escape route and someone watching her back. She calls all the shots. You only sell to people you know or people who have good references. She will leave the punks to the street dealers. If a deal looks "hinky" you call it off and get out. If they want the chems bad enough they will meet you again somewhere else. Lastly you never ever use the same location twice in a row. Raven had enough places that she could make more than ten deals and never have to use the same place twice.

Raven went to the motel room at dusk, another no no, bad light. She walked up to the door and knocked. When the door opened she was met with the barrel of a .38 revolver. She didn't have time to reach for her gun. There was a loud bang and she felt a hot burning in her shoulder and then things went dark.

It seems that this guy's brother who had just got out of county was the one who shot her. She saw the gun and turned to dive out of the way. That is why it went through her left shoulder and not the middle of her chest.

From what they told her she lay in a pool of blood for ten minutes before someone got the guts to call 911. The brothers made off with her gun, money, the drugs and her car.

Her car was found in the desert all burnt out two days later. She was taken to the hospital and went through four hours of surgery to patch up her shoulder. It was touch and go for a while, but in the end she was fit and strong and pulled through.

As soon as she could travel she was flown to Phoenix to the field office. There was a big meeting of suits and a new plan was created. That is where she met Ivy and the suits decided if they wanted to make a big difference they would have to think bigger.

They want to pull her out of the game due to her being shot, but Raven fought them and told them they owed her. They finally decided that she could go back in the mission, but they would control the game a little closer.

There were a lot of changes. The agents set up the storage unit and communications were changed.

After Agent Jade West was physically healing she was sent back into training. If she was going back into Vegas they had to prepare the city for her return. By now all the punks new that she was gunned down and out of the game.

They started seeding the city with the story that she is coming back and she was pissed. They put the story out about working with Ivy and being backed by a group out of Phoenix. They told people that they were coming back to the city and when they hit town everyone would know. They were going to be taking over.

Before they left Phoenix Agent Valentine dyed her hair the color of red velvet cake and filled her wardrobe with only green clothes. West on the other hand spent a lot of time at a tattoo shop. She had piercings done and ink. She even had them ink stitches over the scar on her shoulder.

Then she requisitioned the weapons that she would take into battle. She spent hours at the range and with the hand to hand trainers. She never wanted to be a victim again. As she got stronger, she got mean. It wasn't going to be revenge that she was looking for, it was payback and pain.

She had changed. She became cold and distant. It wasn't until Cat proved that she had her back and was willing to do what needed to be done, that she started trusting her partner. She decided that the best way not to get hurt was to never trust anyone. If someone was trying to be tough, be tougher. If they were getting crazy, be crazier. If they wanted to hurt you, kill them. Better them than you.

When the two agents hit Las Vegas it was like a whirl wind came through town. They ran off a lot of little dealers and took on the big dealers head on. They under cut prices and took over bigger and bigger parts of the city. A few took runs at them, but found the losses were bigger than they could handle. Sooner or later they left town for better climates.

In the beginning Ivy was the voice of reason. She was the one that would calm Raven down when she started to get crazy. It was a good partnership. That all changed one day about two months after they arrived.

Ivy had a guy that wanted to buy a 9mm. She met with the guy and he turned out to a 'wanna be' gang banger. We started to have an itchy feeling about this kid, but we hadn't had a sale in weeks and Ivy was getting desperate. She milked an extra hundred out of the kid and we hit the road.

The next day they heard that the kid was waving the gun around and was trying to impress a local street gang. Later that night he held up a convenience store and a mom and pop liquor store. It turns out the liquor guy showed some resistance so he shot him. When the guy's wife came out of the back to see what happened he shot her dead too.

Ivy was pissed. She knew she shouldn't have armed this kid and she didn't listen to her gut. She calmed down the next day, but when she heard that he grabbed a girl from a school and when he was done doing what he wanted with her, he shot her.

Raven heard about it from a kid who did some message running for her. She wasn't sure she wanted to tell Ivy what she found out. When Raven did tell her, she threw her glass against the wall and let out a howl that would raise the dead.

Raven told her not to do anything nuts, but she was leaving. Raven thought she would just go find somewhere to drink and maybe some guy to take home, but that wasn't in Ivy's plans. She hit the streets asking questions and hunting until she found the punk.

He was sitting at a picnic table outside an ice cream shack in North Las Vegas. When she pulled up in her jeep and parked behind the building. She grabbed her brass knuckles some zip ties.

The kid never saw her coming. The first punch she hit him with slammed into his jaw and sent a tooth and his ice cream flying. He went down on his knees. She then kicked him hard in the side. He rolled on the ground holding his side.

She then relieved him of the gun she sold him and a large knife he had on his belt. He managed to stagger to his feet and came at her. He was swinging blindly at her. He was fighting scared, she was fighting in a rage and he didn't have a chance. Ivy hit him over and over. Then she took him off his feet with a leg sweep. When he hit the ground she drew back and punch him in the chest knocking the air out of his lungs.

Once he was under control she used the zip ties to handcuff him and she dragged him to her jeep. With the help of the gun she took from him she convinced him to get in the back of her jeep. She then zip tied him in the jeep.

Raven called her cell to see if she was going to be okay and when Ivy answered the phone she was out of breath. "Where are you Ivy?"

"I am going for a drive in the desert with my friend. He said he wanted to work on his tan a little and then see the sunset. Not to worry. I will take real good care of him. Do you want me to bring you back that bourbon you like? " There was something in her laugh that Raven didn't like.

Then it came to her, "Damn she is taking that kid out to the desert to kill him. I can't let you do this!"

Where was she going was the main question. Raven fell back on her training. Were there any clues in what she said or the background sounds? She had to slow down and replay the entire conversation in her mind. She heard the sound of jets in the background. But what airport was she near? For some reason the jets didn't sound like the jets at McCarran Airport. But what did she say?

Then it hit her like a sledge hammer. Of course she is in North Las Vegas out past that Liquor store where we found the bourbon that time. She was taking him north on I-15. At least she had a direction to travel.

Raven got in her new car and put the pedal down. She had to find Ivy before it was too late. She was looking everywhere for that bright green jeep. She didn't find her on the highway and then she remembered that Ivy mentioned tanning and the sunset that was when Raven knew where they were going.

There was a dirt trail that lead up into the hills. Just off that trail was a group of rocks and the ruins of an old homestead. They had gone there once and did some nude sun tanning and then watched the sunset. That is where they were heading now.

Raven now didn't have to look for her so she could go much faster. There were fresh tracks on the dusty trail. When Raven got to the homestead she thought she was too late.

Ivy had the kid strapped to the side of the old cabin in a crucifix style. Raven jumped out of the car and ran to Ivy. "Don't do it Ivy don't kill him. If you do you are no better than him." She grabbed Ivy and wrestled her around to face her.

"He has to be punished for what he did." Ivy kept saying.

"I agree he has to pay, but killing him does nothing." Raven tried to reason with her.

"Okay let me hurt him! Let me hurt him bad Rav! He deserves it!" Ivy was beyond reasoning with.

"No please don't kill me. I won't do any more killin'. Let me live." The kid pleaded.

Raven finally decided that she had to make a call or Ivy would just shoot him. "Don't kill him Ivy. Send him back as a message to the streets that we won't put up with this kind of shit, just don't kill him." Raven waited for a nod from Ivy and then she lit a smoke and walked back to her car.

Ivy put her gun away and took out this kid's big hunting knife. She checked the edge. It was sharp, but it could have been sharper, she would remedy that in the future. She tore the shirt off the kid's shirt and got up in his face. Ivy put the knife on his collar bone and then dragged the tip across his skin from one collar bone to the other.

That is when she heard the sound of water. She looked down and laughed as the punk pissed his pants. That was when the fulltime crazy came out in her. She took the knife and cut his skin through to the muscle. She carved her name filling his entire chest. This wound bled, but he would not bleed to death. He would wear her name as a warning to him and others that she was out there waiting.

He was only the first to wear this scar. By the time the mission would be over eleven men would have the name Ivy on their chests.

Raven cut him down when Ivy was finished. He had passed out from the pain by this point. She packed off his cuts and lifted him into the back of Ivy's green jeep. They would take him back to North Vegas and drop him off on the steps of a hospital. He would live.

That was then and this is now. A lot of mission had gone down since then. They worked as a machine now knowing what the other one was going to do at any time and move accordingly. That is exactly what would be needed today with the Russian.

Raven put on her black jeans and a black tank top. She then put on her body armor. Ivy would be wearing the same she knew that this was their protocol when dealing with new players. Ivy may have idolized Poison Ivy, but Raven grew up on The Punisher and even she laughed when she painted the skull on the front of her vest. A number of times it had the desired effect in the field. It tended to put a small amount of intimidation others.

After pulling on her combat boots and checking all her weapons she went down to get the car and pick up Ivy. They had a bit of a drive to the warehouse. Ivy came out of the house with her vest in her arms. She didn't like to give the neighbors any more to talk about.

They arrived at the warehouse at the old airfield in the desert about fifteen minutes early. This gave them time to check their location. They opened the big doors and pulled into the warehouse. They would make the sale at the big doors. This gave them at least 180° coverage. They wouldn't have to worry about their back. Raven could feel the sniper's eye on her as he watched through his scope. It was unnerving, but in some ways it was comforting.

Ivy had the 50 set up and ready for when the Russian arrived. She set out a crate as the shooting table and some water jugs across the parking lot at about 300 yds. Beyond the target nothing but desert for about a hundred miles. They were ready.

This was Ivy's show so Raven leaned back on some crates and watched the scene for surprises. A black sedan pulled up two big bodyguard types got out and had a look around the area. When they were sure there were only the two of us and no surprises the back door opened and the buyer got out of the car.

They walked up to Ivy looking around the entire time. Raven kept her eyes locked on them. They were doing exactly what she would be doing. Everyone was wearing sunglasses as is the rule in this climate. You couldn't read people's eyes that was a definite handicap.

The Russian met with Ivy there was some handshaking and eyeing each other up. Then Ivy went straight to work. She started showing the Russian all the features of the gun and the ammo. She then pointed to the targets she had set up and ushered the Russian to the bench.

Raven put in her earplugs and watched the show. The Russian was a good shot his first hit exploded the 5gal water jug. There was nothing left of it. There was no doubt that the same round to a man's head would give you the same results. There was no way this guy was getting this gun. These guns changed world politics in a microsecond.

The Russian fired a few more shots and then nodded to one of his goons. He placed the aluminum case he was carrying on the table. That was Raven's cue to walk over to the deal. Ivy opened the case and looked at the money. She took out a stack of 100s and flipped through them. It all looked good and even if it wasn't she didn't care, it wasn't her money and the Russian's freedom was limited anyway. It was all there. She closed the case and started packing up the gun.

The Russian turned to Ivy, "So you aren't working with the feds are you?"

A stone silence filled the air as everyone tensed and touched steel for a minute. Then the Russian let out a huge laugh and slapped Ivy on the back. The tension slowly eased as the forced laugh died away.

Raven offered the men a smoke as a small distraction as the gun was packed. The Russian was good. He never took his eyes off of Ivy and what she was doing. The gun was packed back into its long black plastic case and handed to one of the men. Raven went to the trunk of the Mustang and lifted the case of shells that were ordered. The tracker was in a shell near the bottom of the case.

The gun and the bullets were loaded in the trunk of the sedan and the Russians climbed back in their car. The sedan slowly pulled out of the warehouse district and onto the highway. They had no way of knowing that they were now being followed by a drone. They were headed to the coast towards their base of operations. The agency waited until they were well into California before they had their highway patrol car throw the lights on them for speeding.

The sedan pulled over and much to their surprise a Blackhawk helicopter loaded with a tactical team landed in front of their car. When they looked behind them armed ATF agents were swarming their mirrors. The threat of the sniper rifle had been eliminated and the girls cover protected.

The girls waved to the unseen sniper and got in the car and took the money to the storage unit to make the money drop. As they were driving Ivy said, "Well that was a little stressful, but not bad. You didn't kill anyone!"

"You're welcome." Raven laughed.

"I was up half the night, but I still haven't figured out where I know you girlfriend from." Ivy said.

"She is not my girlfriend….yet." Raven said.

**AN: Thanks for reading this story. As always please leave your comments. This chapter didn't have Tori, but I have not forgot her. The concert will be a part of the next chapter. Thanks again. S.M.**


	5. Chapter 5: Blue's Clues

**AN: I do not own or operate the characters from Victorious. I keep them alive. Someone else owns them and has already made a fortune from them. This story takes place in an alternate universe. It doesn't follow my other story arc. This story is full of ****violence and nasty language****. If you don't want to read that kind of thing then I am sure there are other fine stories you could read. If you do like stories about strong women who don't take anything from anyone, but take what they want from everyone this story is for you.**

Chapter 5: Blue's Clues

Over the next day Raven traded text messages with Tori like a high school kid. The messages started out planning their night at Henderson Amphitheatre, but after a few messages Tori started calling it a date. Raven felt that was encouraging. After that the messages just became silly and made her feel young again.

The girls decided that they would take Sunday off. Ivy needed a break after the stress of the day before and Raven wanted the day to relax and get ready for her date with Tori.

The fact that Tori called it a date first gave some hope to Raven that she might be open to dating a girl or at least her.

Raven took extra time getting ready for this date. She couldn't explain what this girl did to her, but she was definitely special. She decided to wear something light weight because they would be outside. She still wore black because it was her style, but she left most of her weapons at home. She would keep her boot pistol and rings though.

Ivy would have laughed at all the preparations that Raven was making just for this one girl that she probably wouldn't even be spending the night with. Raven even cleaned her car.

They had made arrangements for Raven to pick Tori up at her apartment. When Raven got there Tori was not quite ready so she invited Raven up to her place. It was not exactly what Raven expected of a university student's apartment. She expected mismatched Swedish furniture and sheets for curtains, but this place looked like a professional decorator had been in. Most of the furniture looked to be antiques. Someone must have money, whether it is daddy or she inherited this stuff. Raven tried to dismiss it, but the cop in her always made her suspicious of things that didn't fit.

When Tori came out of her room ready to go all of Raven's questions about the apartment disappeared. All she could think of was how beautiful this dark haired girl was. She was beyond anything that Raven could have imagined. If it had been any other girl or any other date than their first she would have suggested that they skip the concert, but she bound and determined not to mess this night up.

Raven was a total 'gentleman' she held doors and opened Tori's car door and even asked her if there was a radio station she would like to play. She didn't really know why she was doing this, she just wanted to treat this girl right.

They had decided to get something to eat first so they stopped at Applebee's and got a high table near the bar. Raven held her chair as she climbed up into it. They had ordered a couple of drinks and their food and then the uncomfortable silence began.

It was Tori that saved the moment by asking if Raven had ever been to the amphitheatre before. Raven told her that this was the first time. Tori guaranteed her that they would have a good time.

As they were driving to the concert Tori's phone rang. She answered it and said, "No I won't come in. I booked today off….. No call Jeanie…. No I am not coming in…. I will see you tomorrow." Then she hung up and smiled at Raven.

"Trouble with Josh? He is usually easier going than that. Who is Jeanie?" Raven asked.

"Oh no I sometimes volunteer at the University library. I am there anyway. They wanted me to come in, but I had put my name on the calendar saying I was unavailable, because I want to be with you." Tori filled her in.

They arrived at the concert and Raven quickly got out and ran around the car an opened Tori's door. Tori smiled at her as she got out. This was the first time she had ever gone out with a girl and wasn't sure what the rules were, but Raven had taken on the traditional male role so she decided that Raven wanted her to be the delicate girl. This was fun for Tori seen as most of the guys she dated never treated her so well.

When they got to the gate, Raven insisted on paying. Tori reminded her that she was the one who asked Raven out, but Raven told her that a student needed to save her money so she would pay.

They found a spot on the lawn. They were a quite far from the stage, but they could hear fine. This wasn't about seeing the bands anyway. Tori spread out a blanket for them to sit on and Raven went to get them some beer. Once she returned they sat back on the gentle grass slope and listened to the band play Kansas City.

After about a half hour it was Tori that made the first move. She reached out and took Raven's hand. Raven decided that she better clear some things before they went any further. "Ah …. Tori…. There are some things about me I think you better know… ah before we go much further."

"What are those things?" Tori asked with her bright voice.

"Well there are things about me that you need to know….." Raven started.

"If this is about you being a lesbian. I already know and I don't care. In fact I am kind of glad you are." Tori lifted their hands and kissed the back of Raven's hand. "Everyone is so sure that I am this little country girl that is so innocent and pure. Well I am not. I have been with both girls and boys and there is something special about the gentle touch of a woman. Right now I think I would like to spend more time with you and experience your touch. Can I be your girlfriend?"

"Ya…..Yes I mean. I never expected this to happen so fast, but if you are sure then yes I would like you to be my girlfriend." Raven said just before Tori leaned in and touched her delicate lips to Raven's lips. It was a brief kiss, but it held so much excitement for both of them. "There is something else that you need to know. It is about how I make my money."

"I know, I know. I asked Alonzo and he told me you were in sales. I asked Josh about you and he told me you were someone that I should not get to know. That made me interested, so I did a little more asking around." Tori admitted.

"And what did you find out?" Raven asked nervously.

"We live in an interesting city. People here make their money in all kinds of ways. What is illegal in one place is government operated in Nevada. I have lived her for three years now and have had my eyes opened and have become accepting of many things. A lot of people are not what they seem on the outside. They have secret lives to protect themselves." Tori said while rubbing Raven's hand.

Raven's heart was beating almost out of her chest. What had this girl found out? Was her cover blown? Was the mission compromised? Her mind was racing trying to find a way to make things slow down and make up something to save her life and the mission. "So what did you find out?" She tried to sound matter of fact and not give away how terrified she was with what Tori was going to say.

Tori lowered her voice. "Rumor has it that if you are looking for large quantities of goodies for your party or to move around the city that my new girlfriend is the one to see. They call you Dark Angel on the streets. Some call you The Angel of Death." It makes me feel safe.

"It could put you in harm's way. I am sure your uncle and aunt would not want you to be around me." Raven said strangely relieved that this girl only found out that she was a drug lord.

"Well Uncle Alonzo can't talk. He thinks I don't know, but the entire family knows that he made his money selling drugs. That is where he got the money to buy The Empire. I don't think he would like me to point out that he is a hypocrite." Tori grinned and gave Raven another kiss.

This kiss was long slow and deep. They lay back and let the music and the mood overtake them. It never felt so right for Raven. This girl was different than all the others she has been with. This girl tasted like long term to her.

Raven lay on her back looking up at the stars and Tori lay with her head on Raven's chest. Both thought this date was the best that they have ever had. As the band on stage played No One Is Free, Raven could see the irony in the situation.

What would happen when all this was over? Where would that leave her and Tori? Would it matter? Would they still be together then? She tried to block it from her mind and enjoy the moment. This was something she always had trouble with. She could never just live in the moment.

"It doesn't bother you then that the girl you are sleeping with is a drug dealer?" Raven asked.

"Oh aren't we being presumptuous." Tori grinned at her.

"Well… I …..was just…..ah ….." Raven stammered.

"No it doesn't bother me and I am just hacking on you and I like pancakes for breakfast." Tori kissed her again.

When the concert was over they walked hand in hand back to Raven's car. Tori waited for Raven to open her car door for her. She was starting to like this arrangement.

Raven was driving her home when a Raven noticed an SUV that seemed to be following them. She kept an eye on them and tested them by changing lanes a lot. Tori was talking about moving from Idaho and how exciting it was, but Raven wasn't listening. She was forming a plan.

"Tori you might want to hang on to something. Things are going to get a little interesting. Reach under your seat please and you will find a knob. Pull it towards the front of the car. A gun will fall out. Get it for me now." Raven said in a very calm voice.

Raven was sawing on the wheel trying to lose the car that was pursuing them. Tori pulled the slide back cocking the automatic hand gun that fell out from under the seat and handed it to Raven.

Raven knew that if this went down on the crowded streets it would mean an innocent might die, she couldn't allow that. There was a vacant lot two blocks over that would be great.

The mustang sprinted through the streets tossing Tori around in the passenger seat. The SUV fell back but kept coming. This told Raven that they were being followed. There was a fence around the lot with a chain and lock on the gate. It didn't slow the mustang down. The mustang lost a fair bit of fiberglass and paint. The gate flew open and the SUV took the bait. They followed the mustang into confined space.

Raven spun the car around in a tight circle so she could face her attackers. That was when the bullets started flying. "Get down" Raven yelled at Tori.

The rear window exploded behind Raven. She returned fire and took out the windshield of the SUV. The guy in the rear seat dashed out from behind the driver and hid behind a piece of machinery. Raven dropped the guy hiding behind the passenger door. She did not see the guy behind the dozer. She was focussed on the driver.

Raven inched forward to the front of her car to get a better angle. The guy behind the dozer rose up and levelled his gun on Raven. She caught the movement out of the corner of her eye, she knew she was about to take a bullet. This is why she had Ivy. Ivy would have made sure that all angles were covered. Then she heard the sound of the gun.

The bullet ripped into his chest and he fell to the ground. Raven did a quick check of herself and found that she was fine but the shooter was on the ground. Then she saw Tori with a small automatic aimed at the spot he was once standing. She must have had the gun hid in her small purse. This girl saved her skin.

Raven took one more shot at the driver as he sped out of the lot leaving his two partners behind in various stages of life.

"We have to get out of here!" Raven yelled at Tori.

They jumped in the car and she sped to the gate. Raven got out and quickly gathered up all the pieces from the mustang and threw them in the trunk. She didn't want to leave any evidence behind that would give the cops a make and model of car to focus on.

Raven turned right on the back street and drove down the block. She then turned into an alley and shut the car down behind some trees. "Where did you learn to shoot like that?" Raven said sounding more like a cop than she wanted.

"Dad had guns and he taught me to shoot. There are a lot of dangerous animals where I am from. A girl has to know how to protect herself." Tori said without blinking.

"I don't doubt it." Raven said.

Raven took out her phone and called a number from her phone's memory. "Rick! This is Raven. I hurt the mustang…. A fence and a couple of bullets. Is now too early? I am about ten blocks away. I need it fixed and fast. No record got it! Thanks see you in a few."

They did not talk as Raven skulked from alley to alley hoping not to run into any suspicious police. When they got to the garage Raven honked the horn twice and the door opened. She pulled into the darkened garage and shut down the car. The door shut quickly behind them.

"A little damage! Fuck me girl did you put this thing through a wall? Were those guns attached to a tank?" Rick was a short round guy who waved his hands around when he talked. "Cash as always. A week. Is she cool?"

"Ya" Raven said nodding toward Tori.

"To keep it all off the records and keep me smiling a ounce of weed. Make it Pineapple Express." Rick said giggling and rubbing his hands together.

"No I will get you an ounce of Girl Scout instead. I am out of P.E." Raven said.

"Ummm okay Girl Scout will do. Unless you could bring me a real Girl Scout…heeeeee" Rick grabbed his crotch. "Do you need a ride?"

"No I will call Ivy." Raven said.

"That crazy bitch ain't comin' in my shop! She is fuckin' nuts! I heard what she did to that Mexican kid a couple of weeks ago. They said all he did was short her $20 on a tube she sold him. So I don't want her in here." Rick said with real fear in his eyes.

"It was a much bigger deal than that. You really have to piss her off for her to carve you. I don't think you have to worry Rick." Raven tried to defend her slightly insane partner.

"You meet her outside anyway." Rick waved his arms over his head and went to his office while his guys started covering the car with a tarp.

"Ivy! I need a ride. Rick's. No details. Just get here real soon. Rick makes me a little jumpy." Raven hung up her phone.

It didn't take long and the green topless jeep pulled up outside the garage. Ivy didn't even have a chance to get out. Raven and Tori quickly left the auto body shop. Raven looked around with her gun in her hand and then climbed in the back seat. Tori climbed in the front seat next to Ivy.

Ivy's eyes were drawn to Raven's gun. "One of those kind of dates huh? How is the mustang?"

"It is on life support." Tori said laughing.

"No No it has been a lot worse…. Well maybe not. I put a rush on it." Raven said.

"What about the other guys?" Ivy asked.

"One got away and two won't be waking up tomorrow." Raven said with a crooked grin.

"Any eyes on you? Evidence left behind?"

"No it was clean." Raven said.

They drove off through the desert night. "Did you ever work at a fast food joint?" Ivy asked Tori.

"No." Tori answered.

"I know you used to work at my dry cleaners." Ivy said so proud of herself.

"No I have never worked in the dry cleaning business. I am sure we have never met before Ivy." Tori said trying to get Ivy to just drop the subject. The last thing she wanted was for Ivy to remember where she had seen her before.

Ivy stayed in the jeep while Raven walked Tori up to her apartment. They kissed for a time and then broke to take a needed breath of air. "Do you want to stay?"

"No after tonight I don't want to put you in danger. I do want to be with you, but I don't want you to get hurt." Raven answered.

"I was fine tonight. Do you forget our score was even?" Tori dug in.

"Ya this time, but I can't watch my back and your back right now. I need to do this my way. I have to figure out who is after me and take care of it. Once I do that we can be together. Until then we can text, phone and see each other at the Empire." Raven was now being more serious than ever.

"Ok, but you are not getting away that easily." Tori said kissing her again. "I am not going to let you go after one date. You are just scared!"

Raven walked down the hall to the elevator. "More than you know sweetheart." She said to herself.

**AN: Thanks for reading this story. As always please leave your comments. I hope that you enjoyed this chapter. Thanks again. S.M.**


	6. Chapter 6: Everybody Lies

**AN: I do not own or operate the characters from Victorious. I keep them alive. Someone else owns them and has already made a fortune from them. This story takes place in an alternate universe. **

**It doesn't follow my other story arc. This story is full of ****violence and nasty language****. If you don't want to read that kind of thing then I am sure there are other fine stories you could read. If you do like stories about strong women who don't take anything from anyone, but take what they want from everyone this story is for you.**

Chapter 6: Everybody Lies

Well like all things that are planned out they often come apart. There was no way Tori was going to hear of not seeing Raven. She decided that it was probably most dangerous at night and seen as she was always busy at night they would have daytime dates when her classes would allow for it.

They were getting closer every day. They even found some time for more intimate activities. One afternoon Raven got a text from Tori. "No classes, lonely, naked in bed, waiting for you."

Raven found a way to ditch Ivy without explaining where she had to go. Ivy had to go do some paperwork at the 'office' and pick up some notes that would be left for them in the storage unit.

Tori had given Raven a key for her building and her apartment. At first, Raven thought that things were moving too fast, but Tori somehow convinced her that this is what she wanted and it was all fine with her. When she let herself in the apartment it was dark. She made sure that she locked the door behind her before she made her way to the bedroom.

It took a little bit for her eyes to get used to the dark, but when they were she was treated to a sight she had waited a long time to see. There was Tori naked head to foot lounging on her bed. "Are you looking for someone?"

"No, I think I have found what I am looking for." Raven said in a seductive tone.

"I think you have too many clothes on." Tori told her.

Raven didn't take too long getting out her clothes. Soon she was naked and climbing on the bed. That is when she noticed that Tori had secured silk scarves to the posts of her brass bed frame. "Hmmm and what would these be for Miss Tori?"

"I have been and bad girl and I think that I first need to be punished," Tori rolled over on her front letting her perfect ass rising up off the bed, "And then I think I need to be tied down and taught a real lesson."

"I agree." Raven said as she ran her hand over the most beautiful ass she had ever seen. It was smooth and round and made her want to bite it.

When Raven's hand came down on Tori's skin there was a loud smack and Tori cooed like a child. Her bottom lifted after each strike. She was more than a little turned on by this game. It wasn't long before she was chanting "yes yes". Between smacks Raven would run her hand over the flesh. As her hand would slide randomly between Tori's legs she could feel that Tori was more than a little excited. She was absolutely soaking the sheet beneath her.

Then before the spanking could get to the point where it might leave marks Tori rolled on her back and stretched out her arms so that Raven could tie her down to the bed. Raven wanted her tied tight enough that she couldn't free herself, but not so tight that she was cutting into her wrists. That is where silk scarves are better than rope or handcuffs. Raven adds one thing that Tori didn't plan on. She put a blindfold on Tori as well. This was to show Tori that Raven was really in charge of this situation.

Raven took her time taking in the view. This was the first time that she would have a chance to explore Tori's body and she didn't want to rush things. She bent over her lover and gently ran her tongue over the hard nipples that capped the small breasts that were laying before her. It was not that Tori was flat chested or even all that small, it was just that Raven had more than her share of lady lumps making Tori's look like a small treasure.

Once she had coated the nipples then she blew over them and the cool air drove Tori half wild. Soon that was replace by a warm hand rubbing and kneading the flesh. Raven then started placing kisses all down Tori's ribcage leading down to her stomach and hip bones.

With her finger Raven drew a heart on Tori's lower stomach between her hip bones. Tori arched her back and lifted her hips up to meet Raven's touch. She was hoping to make contact with Raven's mouth, but Raven was in charge and held off. This frustrated Tori and she let Raven know with a moan and a whine in her voice. "Ahhh come on!"

"What is wrong Tori?" Raven laughed.

"Please Raven?" Tori begged.

"Please what?" Raven asked teasing.

"Please lick my pussy now." Tori begged.

"I don't think you are quite ready yet." Raven laughed.

"Ahhhh I hate you." Tori screamed.

"No you don't. You love me." Raven said.

"You might be right." Tori admitted.

That was what Raven wanted to hear. She then crawled between Tori's legs and dove into her drooling lips. Raven lapped at them like she was dying of thirst and this was the lifesaving liquid. She then plunged her tongue deep into her lover making her arch even further. It was time to stop with the foreplay and get down to fucking her.

Raven started inserting one finger and then she added another finger. The wet warmth was more that she could have dreamed of. Her fingers felt like they were wrapped in hot velvet that was squeezing her like a constrictor snake.

She started slowly and then picked up speed pumping her fingers in and out of her girlfriend. She rubbed the rippled front of her hole finding her greatest pleasure zone inside her. Then she placed her thumb on her clit and slowly rubbed it too.

It wasn't long before Tori was screaming Raven's name. Tori clenched hard down on Raven's hand and howled like an animal. Her orgasm hit her like a waterfall. For a short time Raven thought that Tori actually passed out. Then she took a deep breath and was met with Raven's lips on her own.

Tori could not get enough of tasting herself on Raven's mouth. She snaked her tongue in and around Raven's mouth. They spend another ten minutes just kissing with Tori still tied to the bed. Raven pulling back and teasing her every now and then.

Finally Raven untied her girlfriend and the two spent some time just snuggling together in bed. This was where Raven wanted to stay forever, but as with all good things they must come to an end. BUZZ BUZZ Raven's phone was telling her she had a message.

As she rolled out of bed to check her phone Tori moaned and protested, but Raven kissed her and sat on the edge of the bed while checking her phone. It was from Ivy. She need to see me. Usually she would just give her the information, but when she didn't give her the goods that means it was big and I needed to hear it face to face. What was going down now?

"I need a shower, then I have to go meet with Ivy." Raven said plainly never wanting to hold anything more back from Tori than she already was.

"Is there room in that shower for me too?" Tori asked using her puppy dog eyes.

"Always." Raven answered.

After a long goodbye Raven finally met up with Ivy. Ivy picked her up and they went for coffee at a little shop that was quiet and discreet. Once they were sitting down and had a good look around Ivy let her in on what she was made aware of.

It seems that our old friend Oliver is trying to become a bigger fish. He has been spending money around town. He has been buying into other properties, clubs and bars. He is looking to impress some connected guys from L.A. They are going to be coming to town in the next forty-eight hours. Washington wants pictures and notes on all the guys he meets with.

At the same time Beck was riding high. All he could see was more money. He was going to get hooked into the big times and be a somebody. He had been selling guns that he was getting from Ivy and anyone else he could find. He was selling most of them to The Hell's Angels. He used this money to help buy some clubs to impress the guys coming from L.A.

He knew that he was going to come up against Raven and Ivy at some point so he decided to take care of them before they could get him. He hired a couple of guys to take care of them. When the punks saw Raven's car they took their shot. Two of them ended up dead and on the news while one was left to come back and tell Beck Oliver that they had failed. He was punished for failing. One of Oliver's goons put a beating on him to remind him that they were playing for keeps.

Raven and Ivy spent some time watching Becket Oliver. They didn't do the eyes on themselves. That might have tipped Oliver off. They had a lot of people who were more than willing to work for them for a little money or treat. They found out that he was planning on wining and dining them the next evening.

They loaded up and got ready for a night out. They wanted to blend in as best as they could in this town. They had been given and tiny camera that was hidden in snap on Raven's leather jacket.

Ivy was given the location and because the mustang wasn't quite finished she drove them to the site. It turned out to be a strip club that Beck had some money in. The place was called Synn City.

Ivy pulled into the parking lot and they went inside. There were a number of women in the club watching the show for one reason or another so they didn't draw too much attention to themselves as they found a table in a dark corner. They could see the stage and the rest of the crowd from there.

A girl brought them drinks and put them on their table. Some blonde girl with volleyball sized medically altered boobs was swinging around on the pole. The music was pounding. They scanned the room and saw that so far there was no Beck Oliver and company. They talked about this and that until Beck made the scene.

He made sure that everyone saw him enter. He was wearing white suit with a black shirt. It was sickening to watch him make such a kiss ass out of himself. You could read the disgust on the guys from L.A.'s faces. They were getting tired of his endless talking and trying to impress them. Raven kept snapping pictures.

The music was pounding and you couldn't hear yourself think let alone talk to someone. That was when it hit Ivy. She knew Tori.

She leaned in to yell in Raven's ear to tell her where she knew Tori from when an announcer cut in and said give it up for Lexi Luther. The crowd cheered the big boobed blonde as she left the stage. "I know where I have seen…."

"Here we go! Welcome to our stage Lolita the school girl."

"What?" Raven yelled back at Ivy.

"I know where I have seen Tori before…" but before Ivy could break the news to Raven, Tori slipped out on stage dressed in a white blouse with a plaid skirt and matching tie. All Ivy could do was point at the stage.

Raven just sat there in disbelief as the crowd went wild and Tori flipped her long hair around and danced to the music. Suddenly all the questions that Raven had were answered. Where did the money come from? Why the gun? Why didn't she freak out when she found out about Raven's business? Why was she okay with Raven being a lesbian? Was she even a student? How long had she been doing this?

Raven had to admit she was good on stage and the crowd loved her little innocent looking act. She too had a hard time taking her eyes off her girlfriend who was stripping for all these people.

Ivy shouted in Raven's ear, "I came here with a client about a year ago. That was the first time I saw her. Sorry I didn't remember before. I could have smoothed things a little for you."

"Hey I don't blame you. I don't even blame her. Who am I to judge Tori? So she has a secret, it isn't as big as ours? I learned long ago that everybody lies. I am not surprised. I just wished she would have told me." Raven seemed far to cool with this.

They had all the pictures that they needed and decided that they would get out of the club so that they didn't embarrass Tori. As they were getting up to go, Tori just happened to be making a walk to their side of the room. Her eyes fell on Raven and their eyes locked. Tori could see a look in Raven's eyes, but she couldn't tell what it was. She was distracted through the rest of her dance. She just wanted to get it over with.

When they got out of the club. Raven lit a smoke and leaned against the wall of the building. "Are you ok Rav?" Ivy asked knowing it was a dumb question.

"Ya I will be okay. It is just kind of a shock. I am not judging her. She was doing this long before I came along. She is only taking her clothes off. We are the ones killing people in the name of justice." Raven said as she drew on her smoke.

"We are doing good work Rav. You can't look at it like that. One day the work we are doing is going to bring down a lot of bad people. You are still you inside. You are not Raven. We have to remember that. It is the only way any of this is worth it or makes any sense." Ivy was being the voice of reason. "She is still the girl you love. Just let her explain."

Tori ran off the stage and into the dressing room. She didn't bother with clothes she threw her costume on her make-up table and grabbed her robe and her sneakers. She had to try and catch Raven before she drove away. She never wanted her to find out this way. She ran out into the lot, relieved when she saw Ivy's jeep still there.

She saw them leaning against the wall. Raven was having a smoke and Ivy seemed to be talking to her. Tori ran over to where they were.

"I guess it comes down to this. Do you love her?" Ivy asked.

Raven didn't know that Tori was only about ten feet behind her when she said, "Ya I think I do love that little school girl."

Tori wrapped he arms around Raven's waist and said, "And I love you too outlaw."

Raven turned around in her arms and looked her in the face. Tori was crying. "I thought that when you left you would just keep going and would never look back. I should have told you, but I was chicken. It is not something that I am proud of. I needed the money for school and no part time job pays as well as this one does."

"So you are really a student? Raven asked.

"Yes I am going to graduate in April and I am a straight A student. I do this so that I can stay in school. The money I saved up ran out in my first year. I had to find some way to pay for my education. Do you hate me?" Tori was still scared that Raven would leave her.

"I could never hate you. I love you." Raven kissed her while Ivy felt uncomfortable and looked around the lot.

That was when Beck Oliver came out of the club with his friends. "Well, well who do we have here? If it isn't a couple of small timers. Oh well isn't this cute. Raven's girlfriend is a stripper. Hey get your hands off the merchandise Raven. Don't you know I bought this place? So in affect I own your girl too." He laughed at his own remarks. The L.A. boys didn't look impressed.

"You may own this club Oliver, but you don't own me. No one owns me." Tori yelled at him. Raven held her back from advancing on him.

Beck led the men to a long black limo. That was when Raven spotted the driver as he got out and opened the door. It was the guy that lived through the shoot out a week ago. So Beck was the one who put the hit on her. This guy was starting to become a royal pain in the ass. He would have to be dealt with at some point.

They watched the limo drive off into the desert night. Raven was already creating a plan for this guy.

"I have to go wash off this make-up and change. I have to get to The Empire Club. Do you forgive me for not telling you my secret? Are we okay? I don't want to lose you. Will you come to the Empire for me tonight?" Tori asked one question after another.

Raven put her arms around her and hugged her. "Yes we are fine. You are forgiven. You were only doing what you had to do your secret is safe with me. I will go with you to the Empire only if you will make me breakfast."

Tori squealed and kissed her. "I will be right back." She ran back to the stage door. Before she disappeared she yelled, "I love you Raven."

"You dog! I will see you tomorrow." Ivy said punching Raven in the arm and making her way to her jeep.

Raven looked around trying to figure out what all just went down. How would Tori feel when she found out Raven's lie? She doubted that Tori would take it as well as she did.

**AN: Well know you know Tori's secret. I had a lot of interesting guesses but I bet you didn't see that coming. I am sure that everything will go smoothly for the couple now. Ha ha ha. Thanks for reading this story. As always please leave your comments. I hope that you enjoyed this chapter. Thanks again. S.M.**


	7. Chapter 7: Bang, Bang we're All Dead

**AN: I do not own or operate the characters from Victorious. I keep them alive. Someone else owns them and has already made a fortune from them. This story takes place in an alternate universe. **

**It doesn't follow my other story arc. This story is full of ****violence and nasty language****. If you don't want to read that kind of thing then I am sure there are other fine stories you could read. If you do like stories about strong women who don't take anything from anyone, but take what they want from everyone this story is for you.**

Chapter 7: Bang, Bang we're All Dead

The next morning crept over the land and the sunlight found a crack in the curtain and crossed the bed until it was shining directly in Raven's eyes. "It burns! It burns!" Raven cried out as she pulled a pillow over her face. Then she turned to see the most beautiful naked back she had ever seen lying next to her. Raven just took a moment to take in the goddess in bed with her. She still couldn't believe that this girl is with her.

That is when the guilt started to worm its way back into her head. The voice that was telling her that Tori will hate you when she finds out that your whole relationship is based on lies and false identities. She will leave me and I will never see her ever again. She hated this life and who she was becoming and that someday she would be left all alone and with nothing to show for all this time.

Tori was also awake. She was pretending to be asleep because she really didn't want to face this day either. She had told Raven she loved her, but it was really a little too soon to call it love. It could become love but then again it probably will come crashing down at some point when Raven finds out who she really is.

The fact that she found out that she was stripping was one thing, but there was so much more about her that Raven didn't know. There was no way that Tori could tell her. If she told her one of them would end up dead.

Would Raven kill her? She had already killed so many, but could she really pull the trigger on her? Could Tori kill Raven? It wouldn't matter if she didn't kill Raven, she would be dead. How could you kill someone you love for money. She just wanted to run, but there was nowhere to run. Would Raven ever be able to understand? Would she ever be able forgive her?

Raven could not lay there any longer she had to get up and go to the bathroom. She tried to be quiet so as not to wake up Tori. She went in and answered nature's call and looked in the mirror. She hardly recognized the person staring back at her in the mirror.

She was going to sneak back in and grab her clothes to leave but when she looked at the bed Tori was gone. Then she heard sounds coming from the kitchen. She followed the sound and found Tori making breakfast as promised. Raven leaned against the door frame and watched this beauty being domestic. She smiled to herself as she pictured her moving around in their kitchen one day. Then the truth flooded back stealing all those wonderful images away.

"I hope that one of the things you are making is coffee." Raven said.

"I always start by making it first. I will get you a cup." Tori said quickly putting a smile on her face and turned to take Raven in her arms. "Good morning my angel."

Raven decided to jump right in she didn't like to leave things hanging out there in the air. "Good morning. About last night, we should talk."

"What is there to talk about? Yes I take my clothes off for money. No I am not a whore. You sell drugs and Ivy sells guns. You have killed people before and probably will again. I killed a guy with you last week. What do we have to talk about?" Tori asked.

"You told me that you loved me. I ah….. also… ah told you…." Raven was having a hard time with the words.

"Ya, about that. Maybe I jumped the gun. I was swept up in the moment." Tori said.

"Ah…. I … well it is… okay." Raven was feeling a little run over now.

"Hey I didn't mean it like that. I mean I feel something for you. I feel a lot for you and maybe one day I could love you, if you loved me. I just don't have a word for how I feel for you. I know I want to spend a lot of time with you and have you there when I reach out in the night, but I don't have a label for it yet. Okay? Are we okay?" Tori asked looking in Raven's eyes watching the hurt and confusion slowly disappear.

"Ya we are okay. For not having the words you did a pretty good job. I feel the same as you. I need you and want you around, but love is a big word. I am not taking it back, but I just want to put it on hold for a while." Raven smiled and kissed Tori.

Tori had to get to class and Raven had other things to take care of. Tori left the apartment with so much still swirling in her head. She knew that she was in trouble and was trying to find a way out of the mess she was in.

Raven decided that she would pick up Ivy and pay a visit to a Mexican biker friend of theirs. They met with Little Perro at a bar he frequented.

"I have some news for you Perro. I told you I would get to the bottom of who was supplying the Angels. Beck Oliver is supplying them." Raven said.

"Why would that little man want to do something like that?" Little Perro asked.

"See he is trying to become a big player and you and I stand in his way. I control the chemical supplies in the valley and he has promised that to the Angels if they come in and he has promised them all your turf if you get wiped out. They have a deal, but the only way to get guns in Southern Nevada is through Ivy. He is bringing iron in from California and we can't have that." Raven laid it out for Little Perro.

"I thank you girls. You have always been cool with us. Now that we know, things can be done. Thanks." Perro truly was grateful.

"Don't worry. I am going to get this bastard yet. I am working on it and one day he will screw up and I will be there. You leave him to me Little Perro." Raven wanted to make sure she was still controlling the game.

They finished their drinks and went their own way. There were a few deals that they had to make that morning yet. They were small and didn't amount to much.

During lunch at a favorite place where they could eat outside, Raven got a phone call. "Raven….. ya it is Tori….. help…."

"Where are you baby?" Raven asked despirately.

"I am at …. Oliver's….. he is gonna hurt me….I am so sorry…. Please come!"

"We are on our way." Raven threw some cash on the table that would more than cover the cost of the meal and said, "Beck's got Tori we gotta go!"

Ivy jumped in the mustang and checked her guns. Everything was loaded. No doubt they would see action. Raven put her foot to the floor on the gas pedal and the ford rocketed through the streets. At this point police were the last of Raven's worries. Her blood was boiling and this is when the stone cold killer in her came out.

They got to Oliver's and she didn't even try to park the car. She just slammed it into park sideways out front taking about three spots. The girls jumped out of the car and hit the door with their guns drawn.

They had just got inside when they had guns to the side of their heads. They let their emotions control them instead of safety. They slowly put their hands up in the air having their guns taken from them.

That was when they saw Beck and Tori standing by the bar. Tori did not seem to be in any danger. She was having a drink with Beck and had her gun on the bar.

"What the fuck Tori?" Raven shouted showing she was very angry.

"I am sorry Raven, but Beck forced me to call you." Tori started to tear up.

"How did he make you call? You sold me out. You do know he is going to kill me now?" Raven was still very angry with Tori.

"Raven Raven, Raven I had her call because I knew you were a sap and would show up. You are so wrong. I am not going to kill you. See Miss Vega owes me. She owes me $270 000. She came to town and fell in love with black jack. I kept lending her money and now I own her. There is no way she will ever make enough to pay me back. She dances and I make money. I was about to start pimping her out but then I saw a way to make a problem go away. So now she is going to be the one to put a bullet in your head. Ain't love grand?" Beck laughed a sick evil laugh.

"Well let's get this over with then shall we?" Raven said with a cold flat voice.

"No No Raven all the players in this number are not here yet. I have some other friends that are coming to make sure that the job gets done. See I have been selling guns to some bikers. Their rivals don't want a war so to make sure I call off the war one of the rivals are coming to make sure your girlfriend kills you. If she can't get the job done then they will and then I will give them her as a gift." Beck was very pleased with himself.

Beck had tied up all the loose ends. It was not looking good. Raven was watching everyone in the room. She was starting to form a plan, but they were already out numbered. Beck's goons were filling the corners. There were eight of them all armed. That was when the door opened again.

A site that Raven and Ivy did not count on was that they would now be facing some of their own guns. The bikers that filed into the bar were none other than the Vagos. There was Little Perro with four of his guys and all of them were carrying. This was going to turn ugly quick.

"I should have known. Little Perro you were playing me too? Very nice. Well Oliver you have thought of everything. Not only have you blackmailed my girlfriend, you also managed to find the one person who hates me more than you in this city. I can count on that can't I Mi Perro?" Raven looked Beck right in the eye.

"You were such a fool Raven and now you will get your partner killed as well." Beck smiled a crooked smile.

"Ah I get it now you are still trying to impress the big bosses from L.A. You are a shrude man. You probably have covered all the angles with them too. If I know you then you have records of your deals with the big bosses and even video records. No one could say Beck Oliver doesn't cover all the angles wouldn't you say Ivy?" Raven was almost ready to make her move.

"Ok Tori it is showtime pick up your gun and put a bullet in her head. We are waiting." Beck was getting impatient.

"Pick it up Tori!" Raven shouted at her.

Tori picked up the gun with a shaky hand. She then pointed the gun at Raven's forehead. Ivy took one step back. Raven stepped forward until the barrel was pressing into her head. She stared directly in Tori's eyes. "Tori, I forgive you. You have no choice you have to do it NOW!"

With that the entire room erupted with gunfire. Raven grabbed Tori's wrist and dragged her to the ground with her. Then she pushed her around the corner of the bar. Ivy was down behind a table with her two hideout guns in her hands blazing at Beck's men. As Raven reached for her boot to get her backup she saw Perro's men opening up on Beck's guys. Beck was hiding under the bar. He thought he had this all wrapped up, but suddenly it all came undone.

"How did you know I wouldn't shoot you?" Tori screamed over the gun shots.

"I didn't, but I never play a hand I can't win, a lesson you should learn. I emptied your gun last night when you were sleeping. It is not that I didn't trust you, I trust you completely, but Perro called me just before lunch and tipped me off on how this was going to go down. Here." Raven returned fire and dropped one of Beck's men.

One of Beck's guys were moving around and had the angle on Ivy. Raven rolled to the right and put a hole in his forehead. Ivy turned and nodded her thanks. Perro dropped another one of Beck's guys, but one of his guys took a bullet in the arm.

When Raven turned back to where she left Tori, she was not there. She reloaded and fired a few before she moved. The walls were starting to look like swiss cheese. The once fancy night club would need more than a little work to re-open.

The last of Beck's guys moved to the front and escaped out the front door. Now it was just Beck Oliver.

Beck then stood up with Tori. He had a small automatic under her chin and his arm wrapped around her waist. "Come on out Raven. I don't want to hurt Tori, but I will if you don't come out." He was now turning slowly no really knowing where Raven was in the room.

Ivy stood she had retrieved our guns and was aiming them at Beck's head. Perro and his men that were able to stand up as well aiming at Beck. None of them wanted to make a move for fear of hitting Tori. Raven was using the distraction of all of the others to move to where she might have a move. She managed to get behind Beck without him knowing.

"Come out come out where ever you are? Maybe after I kill you I can negotiate financially with the others to let me go." Raven tried to move closer, but stepped on broken glass and the crunching sound alerted Beck to her position.

Oliver spun around and now aimed the gun at Raven but still held Tori as a human shield. Raven was only about six feet away and slowly stood up with her hands raised. "See I told you I would win. Now I am going to put a hole in your head."

Raven slowly walked forward until the gun was right between her eyes. Beck tossed Tori to the side. "I will get to you in a minute Vega."

"Are you going to shoot or keep talking, because frankly it is starting to get annoying? You win yes take my girl's gun to shoot me with very ironic." Raven said hoping to get Beck's mind off of Tori.

Beck had been pushed far enough. He pulled the trigger and 'click' nothing. He cocked the gun again and pulled the trigger and 'click' once again. "What the fuck is wrong…."

"Oh ya I forgot to tell you. I don't let her have bullets. They are dangerous." Beck had backed up against the wall and had nowhere to run. As fast as lightening Raven had her push knives in her hands and one under each of Beck's ears. Beck knew that the end game was lost. "Remember when I told you I would kill you one day? Well Beck Oliver today is that day." Raven buried the three inch blades in and up under Beck's skull. For a minute his body went stiff and then his eyes rolled back and he fell to the ground in a heap of blood, body and bad suit. Raven wiped off the blades and returned them behind her back in her belt.

Raven helped Tori to her feet and Tori covered her with kisses. Meanwhile the rest of the room started moving towards the bar. Once Raven was let go by Tori she grabbed a couple of bottles from behind the bar and some glasses and started pouring drinks. "The way I see it we have just enough time to have a drink before the local cops start showing up. I raise my glass to Beck Oliver. Without him this party would not be possible." Raven smiled.

"To Beck" everyone said and drank.

Little Perro grasped Raven's forearm with his own and laughed. "You throw a hell of a barbeque Mi Jefe. I hope to see you soon." After shaking Ivy's hand he helped his man out of the bar and motorcycles could be heard starting and driving off.

Sirens could be heard in the distance and it was evident that they were headed to the bar. "Okay everyone put all your weapons on the bar and stay where you are." Raven said. "Don't worry Tori this will all be okay. I promise."

Another couple of minutes and another shot of bourbon later the door was flooded with uniformed officers with guns drawn. Tori, Ivy and Raven held their hands over their head and allowed the officers to handcuff them. Then the unmistakeble sound of Detective McMurray's voice could be heard.

"Well what do we have here? I told you girls that I was going to get you one of these days. Now you are in a lot of trouble. You are now under arrest for all of these murders and whatever else I can find to pin on you. I wouldn't make any vacation plans for oh say then next lifetime!" McMurray was laughing at his own joke.

"If I were you Detective I would prepare to be very disappointed." Ivy and Raven laughed. Tori had no idea why they were laughing. All she could see is that she was involved in a shoot-out and was facing a lot of jail time.

That was when the door flew open and the room was suddenly filled with Federal Agents of all kinds. There were ATF, DEA and FBI and they didn't talk to anyone other than each other. They started picking up guns and bagging them. Sweeping up spent rounds and bagging bodies. One officer pushed past McMurray and undid the handcuffs on the three prisoners.

"What is the meaning of this? I am in charge here." McMurray said.

"Well not anymore. We will take over from here. I am sure you have other very important things to do. Thank you for your help." Supervising Agent Dale smiled and thanked the detective.

A couple of FBI agents managed to escort all of the locals out of the club much to their confusion.

"I want someone grabbing all the books and surveillance video. Get that safe open in the back and bag everything in it. Do not leave a shred behind." Agent Dale shouted to no one in particular.

"Agent West, Agent Valentine thank you is not enough for what you have done, but we will take it from here. There is a van waiting to take you to the airport. I will see you in about a week when we tie up all the loose ends." Agent Dale was a no nonsense kind of guy. "Miss Vega I am sure that West and Valentine will explain all of this on the plane. We will pack up your apartment and have it delivered where ever you end up. A grateful nation thanks you."

Before she could say anything 'Raven' was guiding her out the back door to a waiting black van with 100% blacked out windows. She got in and the door was closed. They were leaving the club's parking lot. She assumed that they were heading to McCarran Airport, but the van was going the wrong way.

"Aren't we going to McCarran?" Tori asked.

"No we are going to Nellis Airforce base. That is where our flight is waiting." Jade said.

Tori has more questions than answers, but decided that this was not the place. She was told that she would be told on the airplane so she would wait.

The van came to a stop at the gate of the air base and a guard came to the window on the driver side. He was shown some papers and the van was let right through. They drove over to a unmarked jet on the west side of the main tower. The door to the van was opened by the agent in the passenger seat and the three women exited the van.

Jade could tell that Tori was still very confused so she took her hand. The hand wasn't warm and loving like it used to be. Jade could understand that she was probably terrified. The door opened on the jet and the stairs dropped. They entered the jet to find that they were the only ones on board other than the pilots. They sat down in the large leather seats and awaited take off.

"Where are we going?" Tori asked in a shaky voice.

"We don't know. Somewhere safe." Was all that Raven could offer.

The jet started to taxi and it soon taking off. Once they were in the air and the pilot turned off the seatbelt light Cat got up and went to the kitchen area of the jet and poured herself a drink. "Do you want one Rav…. Sorry Jade?"

"No not right now. Tori I have lots to explain to you and you might hate me when I am done. I wouldn't blame you if you did hate me. I have done nothing but lie to you since I met you." Jade took a breath and tried to find a place to start.

"Wait, wait Who is Jade?" Tori asked.

"I am Jade. My real name is Agent Jade West of the DEA. This is Cat Valentine she with the ATF. We have been deep undercover for a very long time….. So I would not blame you if you hate me now. Just know that all of my feelings for you are real." Jade tried to explain, but she knew that Tori probably could only take in about half of what she said and would be asking questions the entire trip.

"So why am I here with you now?" Tori asked.

"Well it is only a guess, but I would think that the media is going to learn that we were all killed in a drug deal gone wrong. There will be funerals and empty coffins buried. Then we will be given a new identity and a whole new life." Cat told her.

"So what about me though?" Tori asked again.

"How do I tell you this? As soon as this plane touches down where ever we are going Tori Vega is dead. You knew too much. You would have still been a target and it is easier if the government moves you rather than try to protect you for the rest of your life. They will give you a new name and a new life. I am so sorry. You can never contact anyone you knew before this, yes especially family." Jade took her hand and tried to comfort her as she started crying.

"How can you be so matter a fact about this?" Tori shouted through her tears.

"We have been through this already. We died years ago when we moved to Vegas. We lived a life in hell. Now we feel like we are being reborn and being in danger will all be in the past. I am sorry I know it is confusing and it hurts." Jade softened her tone.

"My parents will be devastated. Things like this don't happen in Boise Idaho. How could you do this to me? To them? I loved you." Tori cried.

Jade pulled her in close and tried to console her. Tori finally just let go and melted in her arms. "There might be a way you can soften the blow." Jade said.

"How?" Tori managed.

"Officially you are not dead until we check in where we are going. No one will be notified until then. Phone them from the air phone over there on the counter. No one will get mad at you because you can't give any information away as you don't have any. They can't get pissed at you because you are not an agent." Jade said.

Cat picked up the phone and handed it to Tori. Tori slowly dialed the number. "Mom, it is Tori. I can't talk long. Put me on speaker so Dad can hear me. No don't ask questions I don't have time. I got myself into some trouble in Las Vegas, but I am fine now. No please you have to let me talk… I might still be in some danger so the government is going to put me in the protection program. I will have a new name and a new life. I don't know where that will be. I will not be able to ever …talk to you…..again. (sob) I need you to know that I love you and will always miss you. You were the best parents anyone could have. I am scared, but I have someone who loves me and with any luck we can still be together. Federal agents will come and tell you I am dead and they will hold a funeral. Go to the funeral and treat it as my funeral because Tori Vega will be dead. You can never tell anyone about this call or we will both be in danger. Just watch the news and if something big involving Las Vegas or L.A. come up know that I was involved in doing the right thing…. I love you both….I have to go." Then Tori hung up the phone.

She was wracked with sobs and all she could do is hold onto Jade. After about a half an hour later she had no more tears left and she had come to deal with some of it. "Can we pick our own names?"

"What?" Cat asked.

"Can we pick our new names?" Tori asked.

"I really don't know. They gave us our names last time, but that was a mission it was different. Maybe." Cat was now thinking about it while Jade slept.

They were all brought back to the now when the plane started to descend. Cat looked out the window and saw some familiar landmarks. "Washington!"

**AN: Well the story is almost done. I like to write epilogues to tie the whole thing together so I will probably write one. I hope you have liked this story. I am sorry if you are a Beck fan, but I think he is a creeper so I like to hurt him or kill him off. Thanks for all your comments. I think I kept you guessing this time. Already working on my next idea. S.M.**


	8. Epilogue

**AN: I do not own or operate the characters from Victorious. I keep them alive. Someone else owns them and has already made a fortune from them. This story takes place in an alternate universe. **

**It doesn't follow my other story arc. This story is full of ****violence and nasty language****. If you don't want to read that kind of thing then I am sure there are other fine stories you could read. If you do like stories about strong women who don't take anything from anyone, but take what they want from everyone this story is for you.**

Epilogue

The sun was warm and it felt so good on her skin as Danica watched her wife Melanie play in the ocean. Mel loved the water that is why they chose this place. They had created a new life for themselves over two years ago.

Danica was now a blonde. She liked it. No one would ever connect her to the streets of Las Vegas. The only stripping Melanie does now is for her wife in the privacy of their bedroom and one time on the beach after some drinking.

Melanie is an English teacher in town where as Danica runs a beach front bar. They both were given intensive language lessons after their deprograming by the agents in Washington.

Mel still hurt now and again when she thought about her old life, but she loved the south of France. She had always wanted to see Europe and now she has her whole life to see all of it. Maybe one day they will return to the United States, but it would not be for a very long time.

The actions that followed the mission in Vegas brought down a lot of big players in the crime world. The mission even extended into California. The two big shots that came to visit Beck were among those taken down. They would still be looking for the three of them in Vegas.

"Hi hon. The water is so warm today. You should really come in." Melanie kissed Danica and ran a towel over her very brown body. Danica loved staring at her wife's athletic young body.

"No not today. I just like watching you splash and jump around." Danica said smiling at Mel.

"So did you hear anything?" Melanie asked.

"We have a meeting with a committee at the Service

de l'Adoption at 9:00 a.m." Melanie threw herself in her wife's lap and started kissing her.

Then the sun dipped and touched the ocean. The light then made everything a beautiful gold color.

The End

**AN: Well it is all done. I hope you have liked this story. Thanks for all your comments. Hope to see you in my next story. S.M.**


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